Where Your Heart Lies
by thatskasterborous
Summary: Their worlds had merged, reality shattering at a single point. The walls of the two worlds melting together until someone broke through. 20 yr old Leah Orrison was camping with her Mum when an unexpected visitor crashed into their camp site. Now she has to deal with the fact that Middle Earth is real and that there is a very real dwarf who needs her help. (Eventual Middle Earth)
1. That Original Lifeline

**Hi guys, this was my very first fanfiction and I'm rather proud of it. I've decided to do a few edits because my spelling and grammar left a lot to be desired. It shouldn't change the story too much but their may be a few little additions.**

**This fanfiction does eventually end up in Middle Earth. It starts off in our world but by Chapter 12 it is entirely in Middle Earth.**

**This is primarily a fix-it fic. Everybody lives/Nobody dies and all that with a few twists thrown in to spice things up. Kili/Leah is the main ship. **

**I hope you enjoy x**

**Edit made 26/04/2020**

"So lower level schemas are the ones that organise all the sensory information like sight, sound, touch… you see?" the professor paused briefly as if to assess if we were fully engaged with the subject.

We weren't. I don't think anyone was really 'here' for a 10 am lecture about memory and schemas. Our bodies may have been there, but our minds certainly weren't.

"Okay…well then, higher level schemas are the ones that identify these lower schemas as fitting their low-level slots" good old Andy Robinson droned on.

He tried his best, but his soft Scottish accent always made me want to drift off. He'd have more hope as an ASMRist on YouTube than as a university lecturer in my opinion. I often gave up trying to concentrate; which was what was happening now too.

As I looked around I saw others not paying attention either. People were on Facebook, texting, talking amongst their friends. A couple people in front of me were attempting to forge their friend's signature for the register: with varying degrees of success with each try. And I swear I could see someone drawing Freud attached to a burning pyre.

It was actually pretty good.

Sighing, my hands drifted towards my notebook and flipped it to a blank page. Not to write notes mind you, that would be silly. Who actually manages to write during a lecture? Most of my notes consisted of doodles or little sentences like 'Hello my name is Leah and I'm very bored'. Over and over again in different coloured pens.

I grabbed the edge of the page and gave it a little tug. ***KKKRRT*.** Several people turned around at the sound and my face started to burn.

_Crap, I didn't think it would be that loud. _I ducked my head to avoid peoples stares and pulled more slowly this time. *kkkkrrt*. Most people turned back around, and my page finally came free.

Nice. Time for a little origami.

I folded with the mastery of someone who does this far too often in her lectures. After about 20 minutes I had a wonderful little zoo on the go_. _Including a frog, a crane, a turtle and a dinosaur. Quite an eclectic zoo. An attempt was made for an origami bear but I failed spectacularly. Considering bears were my favourite animal this was actually rather saddening.

I picked up the frog I'd made. He was particularly stumpy and could jump quite high. _You're my favourite, _I thought. _You shall be called Mortimer._

Soon I even lost interest in the origami and by the end of the lecture I had resorted to messing with my hair. It usually got the short end of the stick. Multiple braids lined my long blonde hair. Dutch braid, French braid, fishtail, whatever I could think of to keep my hands busy. I must have looked a bit odd, but it got me through the last 10 minutes of the lecture.

"Right, I think we'll leave it there," Andy mused "we'll pick up the exciting topic of schemas next week."

An audible sigh of relief swept the room. Several people had already packed up and left by time he'd said the last word. Quickly, I ran my fingers through my hair to remove the work I'd done there. To make me look like a fully functioning student rather than a gremlin.

Slowly, I made my way out of the lecture hall. People were either moving at a snail pace or stopping to chat to friends. I managed to keep all my comments to myself about people's slowness and finally escaped. The fresh air was crisp and cool, a stark contrast to stuffy lecture theatre. I breathed in deeply. Feeling invigorated. Fresh air and being in nature always made me feel better.

"Leah! Over here!" A voice shouted from behind me.

I turned to look and saw a young woman vigorously waving at me to get my attention. Her braids were piled neatly in a bun on her head and she was wearing a bewildering amount of yellow. The yellow did pair perfectly with her dark skin though. "It's me bitch get over here."

Anika. Who else would it be? We'd been best friends since the start of highschool. We were both tiny year 7's trying to navigate our new school and we'd clung to each other to make sure we didn't get lost.

Both of us had stuck together over the years. First going to the same college before eventually applying for the same University. But whereas I was doing a psychology degree Anika was doing English. It meant that our timetables didn't sync up very often but when we both had a free period we would tend to seek the other out.

A grin formed on my lips and I shook my head at Anika's antics "I'm coming, I'm coming chill out" I said as I meandered through the crowd towards her

"Well I've been waiting forever, I needed you to hurry up" Anika mused, she threw her arm around my shoulder and guided me away from the psychology building.

Anika was over half a foot taller than me and had a penchant for high heeled boots. This resulted in her towering over me, which amused her to no end. Then again it wasn't hard to be taller than me. I was only 5 ft 2.

"Where are you taking me, dude?" I said as Anika continued to guide me past a copse of trees.

"Well considering your ditching me to go camping tomorrow." She gave me a pointed look and I raised my own eyebrows in response .

"Ditching is such a harsh word." I said, with a laugh.

"Well considering you're leaving all this" she gestured with her free hand up and down her body "to go frolic in a tree, I think it's justified."

It's true, I had originally planned to stay at Anika's accommodation at the weekend but my Mum came from out of the blue saying she wanted us to go camping. It wasn't too strange as we tended to camp quite a bit. The abruptness of it was a bit weird, though. When I'd asked her why she just said that it felt like a good time to go. I simply shrugged and went along with it.

I knew Anika wasn't really mad though; she just likes to be dramatic.

"I think we should go get some food or a coffee or something" She looked at me out of the side of her eye and a sly grin spread across her face "You can pay of course, as a tribute to the emotional trauma you have brought upon me" She placed the back of her hand against her forehead like a damsel in distress.

"Oh no such heartache I have caused thee." I brought my own hand up to my heart and bowed my head in mock sorrow.

We both started giggling.

"I'm kidding I'll pay for myself, I'm a big girl now" Anika said

We carried on down the path until we reached the bus stop at the end. The bus was cramped and sweaty but we eventually made it into town.

Anika decided on a coffee in the end. We ended up in one of the less crowded coffee shops and sat near the window. She had a mocha cocoa caramel frappe whip thing that looked like diabetes in a cup and I had a chai tea. Granted hers did taste a lot nicer than mine.

I also found it funny how we'd gone out for a coffee but none of the drinks we had could really be constituted as a coffee at all. Anika did in fact pay for her own drink and we spent the rest of the time chatting idly.

"I guess I'll just have to watch the Hobbit trilogy all on my lonesome then" Anika said around a sip of her 'coffee'

We had originally planned on a hobbit marathon over the weekend. Both of us loved the stories of middle earth. The hobbit in particular always held a special place in my heart. I even had the lonely mountain tattooed on my leg with the quote 'So comes snow after fire and even dragons have their end'. Anika preferred lord of the rings but we'd recently rewatched those so Anika had suggested the hobbit this time.

My mum is the reason I'm such a big fan though. She'd loved Tolkien's works way before I did and had read nearly everything; the big nerd. I'd read the hobbit and the lord of the rings but I hadn't managed the others. It didn't really matter though because Mum would tell me random facts about the rest anyway.

"Arr" I groaned "I was looking forward to that, I've still only seen the last one once"

"I know I was there watching you crying in the cinema." Anika replied

I gave her leg a gentle kick under the table. "That's slander, I've never once showed a single emotion, I'm the pinnacle of emotionless" I said overdramatically

"Oh fuck off" Anika laughed "You once cried at an advert about a horse running across a field. Nothing even happened, they were just running."

"The music got to me okay." I said, pretending to wipe away a tear.

In my defence there was also a baby horse and they were going on a tough journey.

"Anyway as I recall we were both crying" I paused for a beat, and took a sip of chai "As well as my Mum actually, it was a very emotional event"

My mum had been with us to watch all the hobbit movies and had peppered us with trivia both before and after the film. She loved doing that. I did too though and often joined in, with Anika taking the brunt of it. Mum also liked correcting arseholes on the internet who were overconfident and spouting bullshit.

"Okay, okay we were all emotional" she succeeded "I remember Ellen getting upset over all the Elves"

Ellen was my mum's first name.

"Yeah, she's a big fan of the Elves," I replied.

"Probably because she looks a bit like one, kindred spirits and all that" Anika took a sip of her drink "It's funny how she ended up with a kid that's more like a hobbit"

I gave her a scathing look at that and she started laughing. She reached over and patted my head "oh don't worry shorty I'm sure you'll still grow"

Slapping her hand away, I replied " Not freaking likely, I'm 20 now, my growing years are behind me."

I would forever remain short and struggle to reach higher shelves. It didn't seem fair considering both of my parents had been quite tall.

We both returned to our drinks and were silent for a few beats.

The table vibrated beneath my elbow. Reaching over, I checked my phone to see if it was me.

"It's mine" Anika said, already scrolling through her messages

Her eyes darted quickly across her screen and her smile got wider "Holy shit!" she exclaimed

"What is it?" I asked

"This is gonna be amazing" She said, her glee visible on her face. She seemed to be messaging other people as quickly as she could.

I lifted my eyebrows hoping that she'd clarify, only for her to remain too engrossed in her phone. Sighing, I reached over and shook her arm "Bitch, don't leave me hanging."

"Sorry sorry I was just messaging Kyo and David"

Kyo and David were two of her adopted siblings. Anika was part of a very big family. With no less than 8 children. Made up of both adopted and foster children. She herself had been adopted by her parents, Steve and Katherine, when she was only 3. Her biological parents had died rather suddenly. They had been driving in the middle of a blizzard. The roads hadn't been gritted properly and the car ended up slamming into a tree.

She lost half of her family to a car accident. Something that I could also sympathise with.

She pressed something on her phone and brought up an image. Passing the phone across the table she showed me the picture. There were two people on her screen. First was a man with dark skin and a round face; he had glasses and a full beard. That was Isaiah, her brother. Her biological brother that is. He was adopted into the same family as her.

Next to him was a skinny man with shoulder length ginger hair and a pointed face.

"Who's the ginge?" I asked

Anika reached over and took her phone back. "Do you remember how I said Isaiah was seeing someone, but he wanted to be all hush hush about it?" she explained.

I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Well apparently this is him, and his name is Sean. The best part is that he wants to introduce Sean to the family on sunday."

"Oh my god, you're all gonna scare the poor guy away." I laughed, Anika's family was mental and it could be very overwhelming if you weren't prepared for it.

"It's gonna be amazing, I'm gonna make sure that every one of us is there when he comes round." Anika said, joining in with my laughter.

"That's one way to welcome someone into the family"

oOo

We stayed at the coffee shop for another hour before we parted ways and I headed home. I didn't live around uni, I decided to stay home and commute. I couldn't bring myself to leave home or Mum. We were all each other had. With no extended family to speak of.

It took an hour on the bus but I'd finally made it back to my house. It sat on the corner of the street. Meaning that it had quite a large back garden. It was quite a sizable house too, considering only the two of us lived there.

Our family of two used to be a family of four. There was me, Leah, and my Mum, Ellen. But once upon a time there was also my dad, Theodore, and my twin brother, Lachlan. It's been over 14 years since our family was whole but it still hurts to think about them.

We had been in our own car accident. If you can really call it an accident, when the person who crashed into us was three times over the limit and driving a stolen car. All of us had been in the car that day. But only two of us made it out. I had my fair share of scars from that day but it was nothing compared to losing my family. 6 year olds shouldn't know what it feels like to lose their father and their brother.

I reached the front of my house and saw that my Mum's car was in the drive. _She must have gotten off work early. _I Pushed my way through the front door and shrugged off my backpack. As I put my bag next to the coat rack I saw my mum in the middle of the living room.

Music was playing softly in the background. She was surrounded by camping gear. It seemed to clutter every surface. There was a tent on the sofa that ran parallel to the stairs. Sleeping bags, camping stove, pots and pans lined the other sofa that was perpendicular to the stairs.

Other assorted gear littered the coffee table. And there was my mother, checklist in hand, sorting through it all. Mum was always good at organising things. I guess it helped with her job as an event planner. You can't really plan events if you're bad at organising, can you.

No organising genes seem to have rubbed off on me though. Much to my mother's chagrin.

Mum looked up briefly from the camping gear and greeted me "Hello darling, I was just getting everything in order."

She had long, blonde hair that fell down the length of her back. Most of it was left down except for the one braid down the middle. She had a heart shaped face and her eyes were a storm grey. My eyes didn't take after Mum's, I had blue eyes like my Dad. I got her hair though, a more golden hue than my Dad's was.

She was also rather tall. Something else I did not inherit from her. Or from anyone else for that matter. It could have something to do with being in a car accident, I guess. Bodily trauma and all that. But it still annoyed me.

"Is that everything were taking" I asked.

She took a moment to reply, she was mouthing different items, her free hand pointing to each one so she knew for sure it was there. "Er yes, pretty much" she looked around double checking "Our hiking boots are by the back door though, but we'll put them on tomorrow anyway."

She looked down at her list before seeming to remember something. Lifting her head up, she looked in my eyes and pointed a finger at me to hammer in the point "Oh and you need to pack your bag as well, I'm not going to do it this time."

"I was going to." I said, a little affronted "Anyway the only reason I asked you last time was because the way I'd packed it nothing seemed to fit in right."

I walked through the living room, past all of the camping gear. My foot caught on a stray tent pole and it nearly sent me sprawling. A small laugh escaped my mum along with a quick "Careful".

Correcting my balance, I carried on my way towards the kitchen. I shouldered my way through the kitchen door and walked towards the kettle intent on making tea. To the left of me, the toaster started popping and making noises on its own. It had been on the fritz for a good month now but it still managed to make toast so we hadn't replaced it. Still, it can scare you half to death when you come down in the middle of the night and it starts freaking out.

I made two cups of tea knowing Mum would want one but was too busy to make one herself. She had now started placing things into bags and I put the tea down on the available space on the table.

"Oh thank you darling" mum said. Darling was her favourite pet name to use. I didn't mind though, it was kind of charming.

Mum then picked up the cup and perched on the arm of the sofa, abandoning her packing for now. She gently blew the tea before taking a sip. A small sigh escaped her lips. Her dress was a deep blue with a gold leaf pattern. Mum was quite stylish actually and I'd borrowed her clothes many times.

"So, you still haven't explained the sudden urge to go camping." I said while finding a patch of floor to sit down on.

I crossed my legs and placed my cup onto my lap. It's heat permeated my tights.

Mum looked slightly bemused by me sitting on the floor but eventually said "Am I not allowed to be spontaneous?"

I raised my eyebrows at her. She was never really spontaneous, more at home with careful planning.

"Oh shush" she said, looking away from my gaze "To be honest I'm not really sure why I wanted to go camping, It just felt right"

I nodded, It seemed quite odd for my mum to say but I sort of understood. I felt really good about this trip, like it was going to be a good one. A moment passed where we drank our tea and occasionally sang along to the music. Well I sang, mum just hummed.

_I couldn't utter my love when it counted  
But I'm singing like a bird about it now_

_And I couldn't whisper when you needed it shouted  
But I'm singing like a bird about it now_

_Words hung above, but never would form  
Like a cry at the final breath that is drawn_

_Remember me, love when I'm reborn  
As a shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn_

My mum looked content while I sang, she always liked listening to me sing. Well maybe not always. I have been told off for singing too loudly in the shower many times.

"What are we having for Dinner ?" I asked.

"Well I haven't gone shopping yet so we're just going to have to scavenge something from the cupboards" She placed her mug down on the table and got up from the arm of the chair. Tea break over, she was back to packing again.

"I'll sort food out while you deal with all of this" I gestured to the mess around us.

We ended up just having some pasta and tomato sauce. After eating I went upstairs to pack my bag. I managed to get everything in it this time without needing the aid of my mother. While looking through my wardrobe I'd managed to find my wind up torch. It was quite a cool little gadget that used kinetic power instead of batteries to run. Fun and useful. With my bag all packed I placed it downstairs and got ready for bed

oOo

_I was lost. _

_It was so dark, so so dark. _

_I was flat on my back, the cold, wet ground seeping all warmth away._

_There was blood._

_It was everywhere _

_Was it mine?_

_It hurt so much, make it go away, make it go away_

_I struggled to breathe but I had to shout, to find mummy and daddy _

_They could make it all go away_

"_DADDY" I shouted until my voice was hoarse_

_Suddenly a dark shade loomed above me _

_All teeth and claws and shadow_

_It seemed to smile, then without warning it leapt towards me._

I woke up with a gasp, a sheen of cold sweat glistened on my skin.

_That stupid dream. _

It had been so long since it reared its ugly head. I'd thought it was gone forever. Then again recovery was never a straight line, there were always times where you slipped back.

I took several deep breaths and tried to centre myself. After being in that car accident, my mum and I both experienced PTSD. We saw therapists to help us deal with the trauma. It took us a while before I could get into a car without panicking. It had taken Mum even longer before she could drive again. There are still little moments right before she gets in the car where she has to take a few deep breaths.

I remember telling my therapist about the dream. It had remained mostly the same over the years. There would occasionally be some differences. Like sometimes I saw my family lying beside me.

The monster always got them though.

My therapist had said that it might have come from me associating the man who crashed into us as a monster. He was a monster. At least to me. I don't care what his circumstances were. He could have had a terrible life. Someone who needed understanding and sympathy. But as soon as he decided to drive while high as a kite, I lost any sympathy I might have had.

Mum had been driving at the time. Dad was in the passenger seat with Lachlan and I in the back. I was sitting behind mum and Lachlan had been in the seat next to me, behind Dad. It was their side that was crashed into. Mum was crossing a junction when another car crashed into the side of us. It was dark and the bastard didn't even have his headlights on. She would not have been able to see him coming before it was too late.

Lachlan and I had been inseparable. We were twins, we did everything together. Obviously we weren't identical with us being a boy and a girl. However we were still very much alike. We'd often get mistaken for each other. Both of us shared our Dad's blue eyes but Lachlan had ended up with my dad's platinum blond hair colour.

He had been older than me by 11 minutes. Mum told me that he always made sure I knew he was older. Then he was gone and I was now the older one. And I always would be.

A few tears had sprung up in my eyes. Reaching up, I wiped them away with my duvet cover. _Okay deep breaths Leah. In and Out. In and Out. _

Once my heart rate had calmed down and the tears had faded I made to get up. Not the best way to start the day. Determined not to be a bummer, when my mum had been so excited about this trip, I tried to slap myself out of it. I took a shower to clear my thoughts and wash away the last remnants of the dream.

We were packed and ready to go within the hour. Mum had paused briefly at the car door, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply before steeling herself and getting in. There was quite a way to travel as mum had chosen a different trail than we usually went . This one being in a place we hadn't been before. All part of Mum's sudden spontaneity I guess. That meant we had plenty of time for some music.

_That original lifeline,_

_Original lifeline._

_Hey, look up!_

_You don't have to be a ghost,_

_Here amongst the living._

_You are flesh and blood!_

_And you deserve to be loved and you deserve what you are given._

_And oh, how much!_

_'Cause there's a hole where your heart lies_

_And I can see it with my third eye._

_And oh my touch, it magnifies_

_You pull away, you don't know why_

Being able to sing at full volume and not have to worry about annoying the neighbours always felt liberating.

We managed to make it to the trail within a few hours. The sprawling hills stretched on for miles. Trees climbed far above us and speckled sunlight bloomed atop the canopy. The leaves blew gently in the breeze, throwing sunrays across the ground. It felt like a postcard with how picturesque the view was. It was also a pretty remote location, our car was the only one parked there.

Maybe Mum had found a less popular trail.

Mum decided that we weren't going to camp near the car either. She suggested that we hike for a while. This was all well and good in theory. Except we had a lot of gear with us, namely the tent. Nevertheless we soldiered on. We took turns carrying the tent and helped each other to maneuver it over some steeper climbs. At one point we gave in and each took a handle, sharing the load between us. The air felt crisp and the sun was warm on my skin. Being outside is good for the soul.

As we trekked through the forest we'd occasionally stop and create something recognisable; these included piles of rocks or marks on the trees. This was because this wasn't a well worn trail and we needed to find our way back.

We'd walked for over an hour before mum seemed to make a decision. I'd suggested a nice spot about a mile back, it had nice flat ground and decent cover but Mum said she felt there was a better one somewhere else. She also said she liked the walk. So we carried on. Climbing over tree roots and avoiding some of the steeper hills. Before we came across a small clearing. It wasn't overly big and it was covered in wildflowers. A small river ran near it so the sound of running water filled the little meadow.

It had a real twilight vibe about it.

"Here" Mum breathed in deeply "Here is perfect."

It took us a little while and a bit of swearing but the tent finally went up. I'd gotten whipped in the face at one point and mum had just laughed at me. Jokes on her though because she tripped over one of the poles about 10 minutes later.

When the tent was up we decided it was time for some dinner. We found the pots and set up the camping stove. It wasn't anything fancy. Just a couple of tins of soup that we had brought with us.

Mum had also brought some travel games, like draughts and playing cards, and we played those until it started going dark. I'd changed into some pyjamas as it got darker. It was around 8pm and Mum was beating me at 13 rummy.

"How do you keep getting such good cards?" I said, shuffling through my own cards. None of them seemed to make very impressive combinations "You've got to be cheating"

Mum laughed "You were the dealer this time, how could I have cheated?"

She reached over and flipped over her cards. Three of a kind, Aca on a bike and she even had a back hand. I looked down at my own cards, I had two flushes and I couldn't even make a third hand. So not fair. Mum marked her victories down on the piece of paper next to her. Her name had more ticks than mine did.

I reached over to reshuffle all the cards. My hands froze over the deck when a strange feeling descended on me. My hair stood on end and the air itself seemed to crackle like electricity.

I looked over at Mum. Her eyes were wide and there was a kind of frantic look on her face. She was obviously sensing something similar to me. Could it be a thunderstorm or something? Lightning? If it was then we were in a very dangerous position. This high up in the hills, we'd be more likely to get struck.

But when I looked up I found the sky to be completely clear. No ominous clouds, just the shine of the stars twinkling above us. I opened my mouth desperate to ask what was going on.

I didn't get the chance to voice my concern though. Before I could, my ears caught a very strange sound on the air. A sort of humming. Like a song. A song you couldn't hear the words to but still understood.

I turned my head towards the sound. All I could make out beyond our lamplight was the outline of trees. But nothing through the trees seemed to be untoward. However, I felt a strange tugging sensation in my gut. Like it was telling me to follow the song. _Come. Follow. Find us_.

"There's something over there" I whispered, too scared to speak any louder than that.

"We'll go together," Mum said, her tone resolute.

She must have felt it too then if she wanted to follow it. Mum found my wind up torch and lit the way in front of us. I got my phone and put it onto torch mode. Also, I wanted my phone in case I needed to call someone. No aliens are abducting me without a fight.

We walked through the throng of trees, in a direction we hadn't come from this morning. Moving through uncharted woods set me on edge. My heartbeat rang in my ears as a mild panic began to set in. With each step I made it felt like the song was getting louder. The air seemed closer and fizzled with energy. I could feel it tingling against my skin.

At one point I reached out and gripped onto my Mum's hand. She gave me a gentle squeeze in comfort and we carried on, her hand still in mine.

It carried on like this until we reached an opening in the trees. The torches illuminated a small clearing ahead of us. When we stepped through the song reached a fever pitch, a cacophony of sound emanating from the middle of the clearing. I cringed against the noise and tried to cover my ears. Though I could only use one hand as the other had my phone in it.

The song got louder and louder until they broke off all at once in a mighty crash.

Light exploded from the centre of the clearing and expanded outward. It's edges looked like shards of broken glass floating in the air. Like reality itself had shattered. The shards were clear and you could see through them. But the image was distorted.

My mind refused to comprehend what it was seeing.

With shaky hands I clicked the power button on my phone twice. It brought the camera up and I pressed record. If we were about to be abducted by aliens or something crazy like that then I wanted some footage of what was happening.

The centre glowed so bright it almost hurt to look at. I squinted against it but refused to look away. I was not turning my back on this thing. However, it briefly seemed to dim as a humanoid shape filled gap. Like a shadow on a wall. It started off small before getting larger. Like something was getting closer.

It felt like the whole world was holding its breath. Even the insects and the birds made no sound. As if they too were waiting.

Then the peace was broken by a pained shout. Followed by what appeared to be a very injured man falling out of the light. He fell backwards onto the grass below.

But he wasn't the only one to come flying out of the circle of light. A spine-chilling, guttural growl erupted into the night as a _thing_ landed in front of us. Bloodied claws and a mouth full of fangs.

It barely stopped to look around before it made to attack.

**This is my first fanfiction, I hope it's up to standard. I've wanted to write one for ages and I decided to say screw it and start writing one.**  
**I admit I did tear up a bit writing the part about her twin. I'm a twin myself and if that bitch died I'd kill her lol**

**Songs:**  
**Shrike-Hozier**  
**Third Eye- Florence + the machine**


	2. Your Pain is a Tribute

Edited- 26/04/20

Kili-(Ered Luin- Middle Earth)

It was not the best of days. The rain slanted sideways and the wind could make your teeth chatter when it blew your way. Nevertheless Kili was determined and focused as he ventured out into the bad weather. Water dripped from his leather overcoat and made little pools below him as he walked. Mud clung thickly to his boots, meaning that he had to put more effort into picking his feet up off the ground.

Even through the rain, the mountains behind him were still breathtaking. A subtle blue colour tinged the rock face. A quality befitting most of the stone in Ered Luin. It derived from a mineral within the ore itself. Swatches of grass and trees also grew all along the face of it.

It was home.

Kili wasn't on his own on his traipse through a cold wet forest. A blonde dwarf trailed behind him, not quite as pleased to be out as he was.

"Tell me again" Fili paused briefly as he wiped water from his eyes "Why we are walking through the woods and slowly drowning in the first place."

"I've told you I need to practice as much as possible." Kili sighed, slightly annoyed, he'd told his brother multiple times now.

"I get that, but couldn't we do that when it's not raining." said Fili

Kili reached a hand up to his chest where his bow string lay. In one swift move he removed it from his back. He held it in his left hand. Thumb tracing the geometric carvings along its body. His right hand worried the bow string.

"I have to be ready for anything. Come rain or shine" Kili said, his voice nearly drowning out in the wind "I can't give Uncle any excuse not to let me go on this quest"

The quest.

Thorin had announced it to them a couple of months ago. They were going to reclaim the dwarven homeland from under the dark rule of a dragon. Thorin had only entrusted a select few with this knowledge. He was so happy that he was included in that few.

It wasn't too long ago when Fili and him were pushed out of the room while the adults spoke about 'Grown up topics'. Even though he was given the privilege of knowing about the quest his Uncle was still hesitant about letting Fili and Kili join the company.

Kili gripped the bow tighter. He had to go. This was his homeland. Even though he had never seen it he would do anything to take it back. He needed to prove that he was worthy enough to go. That involved trailing through the woods, in the rain, for some target practice. It wasn't always going to be bright sunny days on this quest, he needed to adapt to all weather conditions.

If he could show his uncle his skills with a bow then he'd have to let him join.

Fili looked on at his brother. Understanding painted his face. He could see where Kili was coming from, he just wished it wasn't such a miserable day.

"Well then, when you put it like that it seems I should get some practice in too" Fili conceded.

He then reached behind him and withdrew the sword from the scabbard on his back. With deft skill he twirled the sword in his hands. Water spun off the edges of the blade as it cut through the air.

"You practice with your bow and I'll practice some of my sword drills" Both of them grinned at each other as they reached an understanding.

Kili decided to try some stationary targets to start off with. A branch of a tree, a knot on a trunk etc. Fili practiced his sword movements next to him. The dwarf moved his feet in well practiced sequences and swung his sword at key moments.

Fili would call out different targets for his brother to aim at. If Kili hit the right target they'd both cheer and grin at each other. When he missed, Kili grumbled to himself and looked downtrodden. Fili would merely laugh and tell him not to be so disheartened.

This continued for a while, both of them working simultaneously on their own thing. Kili then decided that stationary targets were too easy now and he needed to attempt some moving ones. After all an orc won't stand still for you when you need to shoot it.

He informed Fili and his brother agreed to follow him further into the forest. They didn't have to be too quiet as the rain mostly covered the sound of their footsteps.

There weren't too many animals around with the weather being as bad as it was. Most would be holed up somewhere waiting for the rain to blow over. Kili was still reserved to find something though. He held his bow up. An arrow strung and balanced on his hand. He swung the bow in whichever direction he was facing as he scanned the landscape. Fili followed closely behind.

Just as they were ready to give in and head back a doe trotted into view. Quickly, both of them bent into a crouch behind a bush. Thankfully, the deer hadn't heard them and continued its slow trot across the forest floor. Kili held his breath, his body on edge. If he brought down a whole deer on his own his Uncle had to see that he was good enough.

Slowly releasing his held breath, Kili readied himself. Turning to look at Fili he signed, in iglishmek, for him to follow but stay low.

They both got up from their crouched position but stayed low enough to be mostly covered by the brush. As silently as possible they followed after the doe. Kili kept his bow primed and ready. When the doe seemed to get wary, they would duck behind a tree until it settled down again. Kili kept second guessing himself about when he should take the shot. He didn't want to miss and scare the deer off.

The deer reached a small clearing. The ground was flat for a few metres but then dropped steeply down. It created a sheer drop of about 20 metres to the forest floor below. Kili decided that now was his chance. Though he needed to be careful, if he misjudged the shot he could send the deer careening off the edge. That would just end up with more problems. They would have to climb down and drag the deer back up. Which was too much effort.

He signalled for Fili to stay where he was and drifted off to the left. When he got to a tree with a wide enough trunk to cover him, he stood up to his full height. Bringing up his bow, he levelled it at the doe. He tugged the bow string back all the way to his cheek. His arm was straining with the effort and he grit his teeth.

With both eyes open, the way his teacher Naifi had taught him, he aimed the arrow at the deer's neck. The bow string dug into the grooves of his fingers. He breathed in slowly and on his out breath he loosed the arrow.

It whistled through the air and landed right at the juncture of its neck. The deer went down and landed on its side. Still firmly on the ground and not plummeting 20 metres down.

He'd done it!

A bewildered grin spread across his face. His arms reached up into the air and he cheered "YEAH".

Fili joined him quickly. His arms circled Kili and lifted him up into the air. "By Mahal Kili" he said as he put him back down "you downed it in one shot, that was amazing."

Kili couldn't believe it either. "Just wait until Uncle sees it, he'll have to see how useful I'd be."

"Of course he will Kili" said Fili, as he reached over and clasped Kili's shoulder.

Fili then looked up towards the sky. Still steel grey and pouring with rain. He frowned at the moisture hitting his face. He wiped the water out of his eyes and then looked over to the deer. "As amazing as that was, I'm not looking forward to dragging that thing home with us." he said nodding his head towards the doe.

"Oh we'll be fine brother" said Kili, too excited to let that dampen his mood.

He separated from Fili and made his way towards his kill. The rain came down harder as he stepped out from under the cover of the trees. The deer lay on its side with the arrow sticking upright. A clean kill.

Getting down on one knee he gripped the arrow shaft and pulled. It came away with a bit of effort. He stood back up and wiped the arrow against his coat to clean the blood off.

Just as he was about to place it back in his quiver something stopped him. A bad feeling washed over him. The hairs on the back on his neck stood on ends and it wasn't because of the wind.

He heard it before he saw it. A low, guttural growl cut through the clearing. Coming from within the forest.

Kili and Fili both wheeled around towards the source of the noise. The sight they found was enough to make anyone pale.

It was not a wolf.

No, whatever grace or beauty it may have shared with a wolf had long been bred out of it. Instead it's monstrous form was made to strike fear into anyone who came across it. Its maw was mutilated with a huge chunk missing, revealing the sharp teeth inside. Long strands of spittle dripped out of the hole. The fur was a mottled grey with patches missing and long pale scars ran down its torso. It's paws were already stained with-what Kili could only assume was-blood.

It was a warg. The kind that orcs rode into battle. Infinitely more dangerous than a mere wolf. It must have scented the deer. Now Kili was in its way. All of its muscles were primed and ready to pounce.

"KILI!" his brother shouted and drew his sword with practiced speed. His voice shook and the fear in it was palpable.

This jarred the warg and it snarled loudly, showing off all of its deadly sharp teeth. It then jumped and bounded its way towards Kili. Kili's blood turned to ice in his veins and his stomach dropped. Hastily, he fumbled with the arrow that was still in his hand and took aim.

He didn't draw the bow string all the way back as there wasn't enough time. The blood stained arrow soared through the air towards the warg. However the warg was clever and managed to jump to the side and evade the shot. Instead of landing right between its eyes, like Kili had intended, it embedded in its shoulder. This seemed to anger it more as it roared in agony.

Fili was close enough to it now. With a roar of his own he swung his sword down onto the creatures back legs. He just managed to clip its right leg. This didn't stop the warg and it continued its trajectory.

Kili tried to reload his bow, his hands just about grazed the feathers of an arrow in his quiver. It was too late though. The creature was already upon him. He attempted to jump out of the way, his arm raised his bow to strike the warg. But the warg got there first and its great maw clamped down on Kili's arm.

Its teeth cleaved into his arm with such ferocious strength. He felt his bone snap beneath its jaw. It's claws raked down his other arm. Tearing straight through the leather coat and into his flesh. The bow slipped from his now useless hand.. He didn't even get a chance to cry out in pain as the momentum from the wargs jump had pushed both of them over the edge.

The last thing he heard was his brother yelling for him as he plummeted to his death.


	3. Caught in your own creation

**Edited-27/04/20**

Leah-(England-Earth)

The Thing that leapt out of the portal was like nothing I'd ever seen. It was a grotesque monster. Like a wolf that had devolved in a dark cave somewhere.

I dropped my phone and screamed as it landed on the forest floor. It was snarling like some rabid dog. An arrow was lodged in its right shoulder and its left leg was bleeding. That didn't stop it from moving with speed though. The monster jumped straight at us claws first.

I was frozen, eyes wide in terror. It was like every nerve in my body was firing, telling me I needed to do something. But it was like a crowd screaming in a hall, all of them shouting over each other. Contradicting each other. Echoing off the walls. I couldn't think.

Mum wasn't in the same state as I was; she was moving. Suddenly, she grabbed hold of the top of my arm. With a surprising amount of force, she shoved me away from her. I landed several feet away, the suddenness of it buckling my legs under me.

It was just in time too as not a second later the creature had launched itself through the spot that I was just standing in. It couldn't stop its momentum and careened straight into a tree. The force of the impact shook the whole tree and I swear I heard the trunk crack. A strangled yelp escaped its throat as it landed.

Falling over seemed to have knocked some sense into me. I was no longer frozen to the spot. I needed to do something. I needed a weapon and fast. Something big enough to actually injure the thing.

The monster had backed away from the tree now. Shaking its head as if dislodging something.

I scanned the ground hurriedly, looking for something to hit it with. Thankfully, whatever that portal thing was, shone like a beacon. My eyes caught onto a large rock a few feet in front of me. I was just about to reach for it when Mum's voice cut through the night.

"No Leah. Don't. Move" she said through gritted teeth.

I looked up, fear in my eyes, questioning why I couldn't move. Then I could see why. The creature had recovered from its hit and was now growling, looking between Mum and I. It was deciding who it was going to go for. Any sudden movements might trigger it to attack.

I held my breath, trying to anticipate its next move. Why won't it just stop? It was already deeply injured.

Then in a split second it seemed to decide. Its rabid stare burned into me and it made to attack. My heart was beating out of control, it was so loud in my ears I almost couldn't hear anything else. Holy fuck, I'm gonna die.

This time I reacted, my body finally deciding on a plan of action. I hurled myself at the large rock and grasped in my right hand. It was almost too big to hold and had jagged edges that dug into my palm.

It was nearly on top of me. I could hear my Mum screaming from somewhere. With a cry and a guttural sound of my own I smashed the rock into the side of its face. At the same time its claws scratched down my arm, breaking the skin. I cried out at the burning pain.

The rock had caught it in the eye. A deep gouge now cut down from its eye socket to the hole already in its face. A spray of blood escaped its wound, covering me in the process.

The monster fell to the left with the force of the blow. I dropped the rock, my hands now shaking. Blood was blooming from the cuts down my arms.

"Holy shit, holy shit" I panicked.

Is my arm torn to shreds? There was so much blood. It bloomed out of the scratches and poured down my arm. My pyjama bottoms soaked up quite a lot of it. I could also see where my skin had been torn apart and I had to stop myself from being sick.

The thing staggered, trying to find its feet again. Before it could recover, my Mum was already there. She wielded a huge tree branch as if it was a mighty battle axe. Her eyes were set and determined and her mouth was open in an angry roar. Mum brought the branch down as hard as she could, bludgeoning the thing around the head. It was sent sprawling several feet away.

"Go back to where you came from, monster!" Mum screamed, eyes like fire and re-brandishing her weapon.

The monster's demeanor changed. It was no longer primed to attack. Slowly it slunk backwards, away from my mother and her branch. Mum advanced on it, swinging the branch around to intimidate it further.

I grabbed the rock again, with the uninjured arm, and launched it as hard as I could towards it. The rock missed it but it seemed to do the trick. The thing finally turned tail and ran. It ran straight back into the portal it originally came through. The centre of the portal moved like smoke as it hurled itself back through it.

We waited a few seconds but it seemed to have disappeared for good. The initial panic was over but now came the pain and the nausea. Tears stung my eyes and I brought my injured arm close to my body. I was almost definitely hyperventilating. It felt like I couldn't get enough air in.

Mum rushed over to me as soon as the coast was clear. She kneeled down next to me, her face awash with fear and concern.

"M. " I stuttered "W. what was that?" My breath was coming out in gasps.

Mum reached over and grabbed my face with both of her hands. Her thumbs rubbed soothing circles over my cheeks.

"Shhh, whatever it was it is gone now" She lifted my chin up so that I was looking into her eyes "Now you need to take some deep breaths. In. and out. in. and out"

I did as she said, taking in heaving breaths. After a few breaths I was more in control of my senses.

"Let me see your arm" said Mum, her voice smooth despite the panic she probably felt. If Mum was anything it was organised.

I looked down at my arm. Blood stained my pyjamas, both mine and the monsters. Shakily I held my arm out to her. Now that I was slightly calmer I could see that it wasn't as bad as I first thought. The blood made it look worse than it was. The gashes weren't as deep as I had first feared they had been.

Mum gently took my arm, her eyes assessing the damage. She seemed to come to the same conclusion as me as she said " It's okay Leah they aren't too deep, though they will probably need some stitches."

I reached out and hugged Mum as tightly as I could; while still being wary of my right arm. She clung back equally as tightly. We sat like that for a few moments, trying to find some semblance of calm.

Mum whispered into my hair "We're okay, we're fine." and I parroted it back to her.

We finally let go of each other when I felt like I could breathe normally again. It was at this point that a pained moan rang through the air. We quickly looked towards the middle of the clearing. The portal was still shining and glowing ominously. But below it...

Oh my god!

In all the chaos, I'd forgotten that a person had fallen out of that thing. Another pained sound escaped the figure. If they weren't conscious before, they definitely were now.

Mum and I both looked at each other briefly before clambering to our feet. I was a little shaky on my legs but at least they weren't going to collapse from under me. My arm was still bleeding and it throbbed with pain. I held it close to my body, to protect it.

We slowly inched forward, still wary about our surroundings. We couldn't tell if this guy was also a danger.

"Do you think he's hurt?" I mused.

A stupid question really, if they went up against that thing.

The humming from the portal was back again. It had disappeared when things started to fall through it but now it was back with full vigor. The closer we got to it the louder it got. You could feel it in your chest, like when a firework explodes or you stand too close to the speakers in a club.

I reached the person first. They seemed to be human. 2 arms, 2 legs a head and all that. No monstrous features that I could see. He had long brown hair that had fanned around his face. Delicate stubble dusted along his chin.

He seemed to be wearing very strange clothes. A long blue shirt, that I guess could be called a tunic. There was also a huge leather coat thing that geometric designs carved into it. And..is that a quiver attached to his hip!?.

The guy looked like he'd just stumbled out of a LARPing convention. He was also soaking wet as if he'd stood in torrential rain. But it hadn't rained in at least a few days. The ground was dry.

He was now writhing in pain and gripping onto his left arm. There was blood stains down his arms and parts of his leather coat were in tatters. Quickly, I fell to my knees beside the man. I placed my good hand on a part of his chest that didn't look injured.

"Are you okay? Can you hear me?" I implored.

His eyes opened at that. Blinking a few times against the light. He was awake at least. His eyes widened at the sight before him. Bright light and shattered glass-like shards floating in the air. His eyebrows rose up and his breathing quickened. If he stayed like that he would probably end up going into shock. I knew enough about first aid to know that would be bad news.

I shook him slightly, trying not to jostle his wounds. At this, his eyes darted to me and settled on my face. As gently as I could I told him "Don't look at that, just keep looking at me."

He did as I asked, his breathing slowing down slightly. Perhaps seeing that he wasn't alone was a comfort to him. He seemed to understand me; which was a blessing. I don't know what I would have done if he couldn't.

"Just ignore whatever the hell that is behind us" I gestured with my left arm "Because if we don't we'll probably panic and end up hurting ourselves more, okay?"

" ?" said the man

Speech! We're getting somewhere. I sat back on my heels slightly and motioned towards him. "Do you think you could sit up?"

He deliberated for a moment, looking down at his injuries. Then he moved his shoulders slightly as if testing whether he could move them without too much pain. After that he nodded slightly "I think so".

Then he attempted to move, his face bunching up in pain. He put his right arm down to try and leverage himself up but this seemed to cause him more agony. Hastily, I reached across him and grabbed his right shoulder. Almost like a hug. Together we managed to get him into a vague sitting position. He rested quite a bit of weight on me and I had to shift my arm out of the way so it wouldn't catch on his clothes.

It was at that moment that I realised that my Mum wasn't with us. Normally she would be taking control of the situation.

That's when I saw her. She was stock still and staring, transfixed by the portal in front of her. Her face was a look of pain and bewilderment. Oh god, is it doing something to her. I didn't know enough about it to know if the thing itself was dangerous.

A strange, sad smile stretched out across her face and she reached out to one of the fragments floating in front of her.

"Is she okay?" said the man breathlessly.

"Mum, don't!" I shouted.

She had already touched it by then. Her hands moved straight through it, as if it were a hologram. Nothing bad seemed to happen, thankfully. A shard floated close to my head and curiosity got the better of me. I reached my hand up to touch one. It felt like sand moving through my fingers.

The everpresent humming then seemed to morph. It felt almost as if you were playing a song backwards. The shard in my hand then shot away back towards the centre. It was like the air was being sucked back into the chasm. With one mighty *Woosh* all the shards of reality seemed to unify once more. The cracks between the pieces glowed brightly before they seemed to melt back together. Until it looked like nothing was ever there.

As this happened Mum collapsed to the ground and a heart wrenching sob broke free from her "Nooo!"

I had no idea what was happening or what to do. Why was she breaking down like this? She had always been the strong one. If she was reacting this way, how was I supposed to cope?

Mum had now grabbed the ground in front of her as if to steady herself. She was taking deep breaths, her eyes screwed tightly closed.

" ?" I murmured, concern lacing through my voice.

At the sound, Mum seemed to snap out of it. Her whole body jolted in shock and her eyes snapped open. After a few deep breaths her breathing started to normalise. She sat back on her heels and turned towards me. Taking in me and the injured man I was currently supporting. Guilt seemed to paint her features.

"What the hell happened? Are you okay? Did it, did it hurt you?" I implored.

"No, no. I just.." she said finally reaching me "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry. I'm okay now."

I was still anxious but glad that she seemed to be better now.

"Right." said Mum, clapping her hands against her knees, "We need to get you back to the tent, the first aid kit is in there."

Mum shifted into gear then. She collected the torch and my phone from where they had fallen. Winding up the torch a few times to generate some power, she lit the way. Between us we managed to drag the injured man through the forest. He was a lot heavier than I thought he'd be and he was actually quite short. At least a couple inches shorter than I was. Mum had to take most of his weight as I struggled with my injured arm.

When we got back to camp Mum placed us both down near the tent. She found the first aid kit very quickly and methodically went to treat our wounds. Mine was treated first as mum said it wouldn't take as long.

Thankfully, mum was medically trained. She had been a nurse before she met my dad. That's how she met him actually. Dad had broken his leg and mum was the triage nurse. Apparently he was still charming even with his leg broken in two places.

Mum cleaned my arm and bandaged it up as best she could with the equipment handy. Then it was the injured man's turn. Mum's voice was very clear and calm as she explained what she needed to do. The poor guy stared with a befuddled expression but still let her tend to his wounds. He raised his eyebrows at Mum's first aid kit, seeming confused about its contents. She bandaged as much as she could and created a makeshift sling for his arm.

Oh god I just realised We haven't even asked him for his name, or told him ours.

I cleared my throat "I'm so sorry" I gestured to myself "My name is Leah" Then I pointed to Mum "My mum's name is Ellen, What's yours?"

"My name is Kili" he answered "and thank you... for helping me, I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there."

Mum joined the conversation then "Can you tell us anything? Do you know anything about the light you fell through or what attacked us?"

"And where did you come from?" I interjected. He definitely didn't look like he was from around here.

He looked around then, as if seeing the area for the first time. His eyebrows drew together. "Er this isn't Ered Luin is it?" He stated.

Ered Luin? That sounded familiar but I couldn't put my finger on why. Was it french?

I shook my head and answered back "No, it's not, we're in a forest near Wales. I can't remember what it's called though ".

He looked concerned then "I've never heard of Wales before, is it near the Grey Havens?"

Both Mum and I looked on with equally blank expressions and shook our heads. "I don't know where that is either." I conceded.

Kili was looking more and more lost. He shook his head and took a deep breath "Alright then, I think I should just start with what happened, we might start getting somewhere. I was out in the woods that surrounded my home, I wanted to get some target practice in"

That explained the quiver at his side then. But who has a bow and arrow in this day and age. Was he from the past or something? Did the portal transport someone in time? My mind reeled just thinking about it.

"My brother was with me and it was raining. We ended up downing a deer " A little smile pulled at the corners of his mouth at the mention of his brother and bringing down a deer. Then his smile faded. "We were celebrating and we didn't hear it until it was already on us. A huge warg must have scented the deer."

Wait, warg?

"I managed to shoot it in the shoulder and Fili hacked at its back legs but it was too late and it ended up sending us over the edge of a cliff, then I woke up here and it was night time"

Warg, Fili, Kili. That just, that just can't be right. Wait now I know why I recognised Ered Luin, It's the Blue mountains home of the dwarves in Middle Earth.

"Holy Shit!" I said under my breath "You're trying to tell me that you're a dwarf from Middle Earth"

"Well yes, isn't it obvious?" He said pointing to himself "And why do you say Middle Earth as If we're not in it"

"Obvious? you're not even that short." I exclaimed.

He looked back slightly affronted.

"That's not possible," Mum breathed. Shaking her head.

None of this should have been possible. But none of us could deny seeing the reality shattering singularity that opened up in front of us.

Is anything possible now? Even fictional characters showing up at your feet. That couldn't be right, there had to be another explanation. Maybe he was cosplaying and hit his head and then a great big portal sucked him up and spat him out. Sure, that's more believable.

Mum and I shared a concerned look. Leaning forward, she looked into Kili's eyes. Kili back away from the sudden closeness. "What are you doing?"

"I'm seeing if your pupils are dilated" she then reached up and probed his head "Do you have a head injury?"

"I don't think so," He said, his voice slightly muffled.

Mum sat back on her heels, leaving his head alone for now. "Okay, can you tell me who the current prime minister is?"

His face was awash with pure confusion "What's a prime minister?"

Mum looked at me and then back at Kili. That wasn't a good sign, he might have a concussion.

"Kili, this isn't Middle Earth or Arda this is just Earth, a completely different world." I said

"Another world...no that's. no that can't be... How?" He made to get up, looking like he wanted to flee.

Mum reached out, her demeanor still calm despite the revelation. She put her arms on his shoulders to prevent him from getting up "Moving won't help, you'll just make your injuries worse".

"Middle Earth isn't real, it's from a story" I said "You must have hit your head or something"

His face contorted with anger at that. "How dare you. How can you say my home isn't real? Of course Middle Earth is real"

He sounded so scared I felt guilty for saying it. Mum's soothing voice cut through before things could escalate.

"In this world, Kili, Middle Earth is a story, you are a story. No one ever thought that it was real. But you and that Warg showing up must mean that it is" She continued.

Why is she encouraging him? Surely that could do more harm if he did have a concussion. Kili stopped trying to get up and looked into my mum's eyes. He looked so vulnerable in that moment. Like his whole life had just been turned upside down.

"What do you mean by 'a story'? How can I be a story?" Kili asked.

"A person in this world, wrote about the histories of yours. Everyone thought he'd made them up but apparently not." Mum added "He wrote about the dwarves and about you...at least I think it's you. Are you Thorin Oakenshield's nephew?"

His eyebrows shot up but he nodded all the same.

"Mum that's not helping. He needs to see a doctor." I implored

Mum quieted me with a look.

"Well how do I get back? I can't leave my brother and my Amad, I need to get back." Kili blurted.

Mum interjected then " None of us know what's going on right now okay. We are in the middle of the woods in the middle of the night and both of you are injured. We need to prioritise and not panic. If we try and look for a way back right now we'd could end up lost or hurt even more. Both of you need a doctor" Her tone left no room for questions "So we need to try and get out of this forest as fast as possible, Okay?"

Both Kili and I nodded. It made a lot of sense.

oOo

I went about changing out of my blood soaked pyjamas. It was quite sad really, these were some of my favourite ones with Marvel heroes down the leg. Now they were ruined. I'll have to buy some more at some point. I changed into my hiking trousers-the kind with loads of pockets-and my sports shirt. My jacket thankfully had large sleeves and didn't brush up against my scratches too badly.

Mum gave us all some water before we left as it was going to be a long trek. We would have to try and navigate the forest in the dark. It was hard enough in the day. Hopefully the little stone piles we made along the way would still be visible via torchlight.

Mum decided it was best to just leave the tent and to only take what could fit in our bags. I felt guilty about the littering but we just couldn't bring a whole tent with us. Especially when we struggled getting it up here in the first place.

I brought my bloody clothes with me though. We were leaving the tent, if we left blood stained clothes as well people might think it was a murder scene. If anyone ever found it that is, it was quite a remote spot.

Kili, thankfully, could walk pretty much unaided. An improvement from earlier. However the bumpy forest floor was difficult to traverse. Both me and Mum had a torch shining our way. But they weren't the brightest of torches and could only shine a few metres in front of us.

Every sound was heightened in the dark, I let out a scream when a particularly brave fox ran out in front of us. The whole situation was beyond stressful.

Sometimes we wouldn't be able to find our little stone towers and I'd start panicking. However, surprisingly, it was Kili who came to the rescue. He seemed to be able to sense where they were. It was amazing.

When I asked how he did it he gave me a pointed look and said "Stone sense, all Dwarves in Middle Earth have it." He emphasised the words dwarves and Middle Earth to hammer in his point.

Maybe there was some truth in what he said I mean I would never have been able to find those stones in a million years. I still struggled to believe he was a fictional character though.

I breathed a happy sigh of relief at the sight of the car through the trees. We'd made it. Seeing the car made everything seem more sane.

Kili settled against a tree looking astonished by the sight of the huge machine. If he was adamant that he was a dwarf then he probably had no idea what it was. I needed to explain it in terms that he would understand. A car could be rather startling if you had never seen one before.

"Kili" I said. He turned to face me at the sound.

"This is called a car," I pointed towards it.

"It's like a carriage, only it doesn't need a horse to pull it" I paused briefly, thinking "It has a machine in it that pushes the wheels forward"

He looked at me like I was slightly mad "I don't quite believe you, I'll have to see it first," he said with a small smile.

I smiled back encouragingly. It was probably also a slight dig at me not believing him.

We put all of our things in the boot, including Kili's things. The dude had a sword, a quiver of arrows and a wicked looking dagger! Kili didn't want to give them up initially but Mum convinced him that they were safer in the back. Reluctantly he let them go.

We all clambered into the car. I decided to go into the back to sit with Kili. I helped him to fasten his seatbelt over his injuries before fastening my own. Kili messed with the belt secured against his chest.

"Leave it." I said "It's for safety".

Kili dropped it then and Mum pulled off. He scrambled slightly and grabbed for the door. Fear shone in his eyes as the car moved.

"Believe me now." I said, raising my eyebrows.

He let out a breathy laugh "I guess I do". His fear now seemed to turn to excitement as he saw the scenery blur.

I'd never seen someone look so amazed by a car. My heart jumped a little at his astonished smile.

"I've never moved so fast before," he mused.

Steadily, we left the country roads and more civilisation was popping up. Even though it was dark you could still make out the shapes of houses. Kili's face changed then to something more apprehensive. I mean, if he was actually a dwarf from Middle Earth, modern day buildings would come as a shock.

"Okay, say you are a Dwarf from Middle Earth..." I started

"Which I am." He interrupted exasperatedly.

"Then you should know Khuzdul right?"

His face closed off slightly and he looked defensive "Of course I do, it's the language of my people."

I decided I would test him, I knew a few Khuzdul phrases that I'd found on the internet. If he knew them then I may start believing him.

"Okay, what does 'Du Bekar' mean?"

He paused, for a second he looked like he wasn't going to answer then he said "It means 'to arms' it's a battle cry"

Damn that was the right answer, I should try a harder one. One that wasn't in the films.

"How about 'abnamul tada abdakhizu'?"

Oh god I think I butchered that one. But it's the most complex one I knew.

Kili's eyebrows shot up, he seemed shocked and offended. " It, It means 'nice to meet you' but how did you know that? the Dwarven language is sacred and a secret among all dwarves."

I shrunk slightly at his words. My heart in my throat. I'd obviously insulted him which I had not meant to do. I hated offending anyone. I also didn't want him to stay angry with me.

"I'm sorry Kili, I shouldn't have asked about Khuzdul," I said raising my hands up. "It's like my Mum said, in this world the stories of Middle Earth are written into books, as well as the languages. I didn't mean to insult the dwarven people by speaking it."

He calmed slightly, though he still looked concerned.

"So the language of my people is just freely available here, for anyone to learn?" He said, as if the words tasted bad.

"I, I guess so. But hardly anyone does, probably only a handful of people actually know more than a couple of phrases"

He nodded at that and relaxed back into his seat.

"We're nearly at the hospital now" Mum piped up from the front seat.

It took awhile for us to find a parking space, the hospital was still busy even in the middle of the night. Oh god, I hope we get seen quickly. I knew how bad A&E waiting times could be. But surely a bleeding wound was cause for speedy treatment.

Mum warned Kili that the hospital was going to be a pretty big culture shock and that it may cause him to panic. She insisted that he was perfectly safe and that nothing bad would happen to him. Also, she told him to leave the talking to us and if he said anything about his home or being a dwarf they may think he has a head injury.

Kili simply nodded and we made our way towards the A&E. The loud noises, bright lights and hospital smell wasn't exactly helping Kili stay calm though. As soon as we entered he paled significantly. His eyes went wide and he darted his head around everywhere.

I placed a hand on his back and told him to breathe and that it was okay. He looked at me and nodded, carrying on after Mum.

Bleeding directly onto the floor seemed to work to our advantage as we were seen very fast. Mum quickly formulated a tale about renaissance faires and wild dogs. She told the nurse that Kili's full name was Killian Dwarrow. Kili seemed amused by it, at least.

My arm did need stitches and as it was caused by an animal I needed several shots and a course of antibiotics.

Kili had to have blood tests, an x-ray and several other tests that I was unsure of. He managed all the tests surprisingly well considering how scared he looked. Apparently both his ulna and his radius were broken in his left arm. Thankfully, they were clean breaks. That meant that he wouldn't be needing surgery. I dread to think how Kili would have coped with that.

Though the doctor was more concerned about the actual x-ray images than the break itself. He said he'd never seen an x-ray like it and that his bones were surprisingly dense. The blood tests had a similar story too. The nurse told us that it was unlike any blood type and that it reacted strangely to the tests.

Mum somehow managed to deflect the doctors worries and Kili miraculously evaded secret government testing.

The portal, the stone sense, Kili's Khuzdul and now his non-human physiology. I realised then that he must have been telling the truth. There couldn't really be any other explanation.

This must be a dream or something. How is The Kili, from the Hobbit, actually in front of me? I've always wanted to go to Middle Earth. Had longed for it. But now Middle Earth had come to me.

Also Mum had seemed to believe him straight away, without any evidence. How had she known?

I owed him an apology for acting the way I did to him. He must think I'm an arsehole for not believing him. In my defence though, this whole situation was outlandish. If I believed everyone who told me they were a fantasy character I would probably need psychological help. It just so happened that this one time it was completely true.

I walked up to his bed and sat down on a spare chair next to mum. His wounds were now stitched up and he was waiting to have his arm put in a cast. He had been given some pain relief now so at least he wasn't hurting.

He looked up at me as I sat down. I looked down suddenly shy, my cheeks bright red. With a bit of courage I looked back up at him. His expression was slightly bemused.

"I need to say sorry." I said

His eyebrows knit together "What for?"

"For not believing you, about who you actually are" I said the last part in a whisper so as to avoid wandering ears.

"So you actually believe me now? What made you change your mind?"

"I dunno" I said, mumbling and shrugging my shoulders "Just an accumulation of everything I guess".

"I accept your apology Leah," He said with a small smile.

"I'm also really sorry again about the Khuzdul, I know how sacred it is to dwarves"

"It's alright," he conceded with a sigh.

Then he gazed back up at me, a mischievous look in his eyes "And anyway, your accent is terrible." He laughed, his whole face lighting up.

I couldn't help but laugh along with him, even if it was at my expense.

**Notes:**

**_I originally had a different draft but my sister bullied me and told me that my knowledge of injuries was shite, so I had to change it. It doesn't help that she is currently on a 3 day first aid course and technically knows better._**

**_I've wrote more in the past 3 days than I did for my whole dissertation, that's mental._**


	4. Hey Look Up

**Edited- 27/04/20**

Fili (Ered Luin, Middle Earth)

Fili had searched everywhere.

When Kili had been thrown off the edge, Fili's heart had stopped. Blood was ice in his veins. His arms had reached out, straining uselessly towards his brother. All he could do was yell his name.

Fili charged to the edge. Nearly taking himself over the edge with his momentum. Rocks dislodged from the sodden ground and tumbled over the edge. Kili was down there. He climbed down the cliff face. His hands slid down the rain soaked moss, catching on the sharp rocks. Not that he could even feel them.

The rain was pouring even harder than before, bringing visibility down to nearly nothing.

"KILI!" He screamed, he screamed until his voice was hoarse.

His brother, his baby brother. Where was he?

He had been helpless, as his little brother fell to his death.

No! Not to his death. He can't be dead, he simply can't.

This was his fault. If only he had gotten to the warg in time. He was supposed to be the older brother. Adad had charged him with protecting both Kili and their Amad before he had died. And now he had failed them.

When he finally reached the bottom to the valley below, he drew his sword. Kili had to be down here. Even with the rain he should have been able to see him.

"Kili please, where are you?" he cried.

He swung his head around frantically. Looking in every direction. His long hair whipped around and clung to his soaken face. Fili could no longer tell if the moisture on his face was purely the rain or if tears hung there.

Out of the corner of his eye Fili could see something moving. He rushed over to it, his feet slipping through the mud. When he got close he stopped in his tracks.

It wasn't Kili.

It was that 'Thing'. He could see it twitching. Pained whines pouring out of its mouth. The matted fur was now covered in blood and it's limbs were broken at sharp angles.

Fili saw red. Teeth bared he lifted his sword above his head and swung. The blade arched down and cut through the beast's neck. Fili then repeated it. Again. And again. And again. Blood spattered up his arms, his face. But he didn't care. The creature was long dead but he kept hitting it. It might have killed his brother.

He stopped abruptly, his arms quivering. A sickening feeling settled deep in his stomach. Fili was shocked at what he did. He'd killed animals before but never like that. Shaking, he took several steps back. His breath was coming out in heaving gasps.

That's when he saw it. A few metres away tangled in the grass. Kili's bow.

Fili rushed over, heart beating out of his chest. The sword fell out of his hands and he dropped to his knees. The wood was soaked but it wasn't from the rain. It was stained a deep red.

Blood. Kili's blood.

But he was nowhere to be seen. Fili picked up the bow and cradled it to his chest.

"KILI!"

There was no response besides the beating of the rain.

oOo

Leah (England-Earth)

As was standard in most hospitals these days, we had been there for hours. It was now light outside.

They mainly kept us in to check on Kili, as he was quite badly wounded. Also, with it being an animal wound, I guess they were checking for an infection. That didn't make it any less annoying though. None of us had slept as Kili decided to make his appearance in the middle of the night. This meant that once the initial adrenaline rush had died away I was rather irritable and grumpy.

That's when mum told me I needed a nap. I grumbled back at her but realised she spoke sense. Kili laughed at my grumbling and told me he knew dwarflings that were less grumpy when they were tired.

Rude.

I think I slept. If you could really call it sleep. Curled up on a chair next to Kili's bed. I had a bed originally but as I was no longer a priority I got booted out of it. It made for some very awkward sleeping positions. And a very bad neck. Kili on the other hand was out like a light, snoring away.

We were still waiting for Kili to have his arm cast. Apparently they didn't have staff available to do it during the night. Which meant that we would be here longer. Yay.

Kili woke back up again after a little while. He startled as he woke, before he seemed to remember where he was. My heart went out for him. I looked over to where Mum was sitting. Her elbow was against the side table and her head rested in her hand. She must have managed to drift off at some point. At least she was getting sleep.

"How are you feeling?" I said, groggily.

I was sitting in the chair with my legs tucked under me. My head rested against my hand.

"Better than last night. Those medicines they gave me were quite good." He said with a smirk.

Kili had been very appreciative of the morphine they gave him. It did not send him loopy like it did for a lot of people. Evidently dwarves had quite a high tolerance for that kind of thing. But he did enjoy having no pain, nonetheless.

"Yeah, it can be quite something." I said, even though I hadn't actually experienced morphine myself.

Well I probably did when I was younger but I can't really remember.

"How are you? That chair does not look comfortable" said Kili.

I shifted then, stretching my legs and arms. Several loud cracks and pops came from my protesting joints "What would make you think that?" I laughed.

"I don't think bones are supposed to make those sounds" he laughed back

"Then I am a marvel to mankind" I said, still stretching.

Oh Christ, I ache so bad. I needed a hot bath and a massage. Not that I'll get any of those things presently. Unless Kili decided to volunteer his services with his one good hand. Not that, that would be weird in any way.

Reaching up, I tried to run my fingers through my hair. It caught and snagged, pulling at my roots "Ow"

"Er, I think there might be some blood in it," Kili coughed.

"Eugh, that's not fun" I groaned, dropping the strand of hair.

The last thing I needed was warg essence covering me. Yet here we were. Eau de warg, if you will.

"There's still some on your face too." He pointed.

"What, where?" I asked, patting my face with my hands

I thought I managed to rub it off when we arrived. Before he could reply, I reached into my bag that was tucked under the chair. Sorting through it, I managed to find some face wipes. I grabbed one and just rubbed it all over in an attempt to get it all off. The wipe came away covered in light marks of dried blood.

Ew.

"Did I get it all?" I asked, turning my face in his direction

"Almost, just come closer and I'll point it out"

That involved moving and standing up. Which wasn't at the top of my priority list right now. Then again neither was being covered in blood. Conceding, I edged closer. With his good hand he pointed towards my left cheek. His fingers grazing the skin. My skin tingled where he touched it. This caused my cheeks to flush red. Though that wasn't difficult, my cheeks tended to blush at the slightest provocation.

Kili then took the face wipe from me and wiped away the blood himself. "There I think it's all gone now"

"Thank you." I said, straightening back up, begging my cheeks to return to normal. I hope he hadn't noticed them, I didn't want to embarrass myself.

"You're welcome, My lady." he replied with a smile.

My eyebrows raised at that "My lady? I don't quite think i'm lady material" I muse laughing softly.

"Is that not how you address people in this world?" asked Kili, curious now.

"100 years ago maybe, most people just say Miss or Ms now. If you're with people you know then you just use their names I guess"

"I've got a lot to learn then." said Kili.

oOo

By the time the caster was ready, Mum had woken up from her nap.

Was caster the right word? Probably not, it made them sound more like a wizard than a doctor.

Anyway, we followed the nurse who guided us through the maze of the hospital. Who even designed this place? Every corridor looked the same. This could be a bad horror movie in the wrong circumstances. Kili was looking bewildered too. He'd probably never seen such strange people and weird machines before.

The nurse sat Kili down in a small room. Mum got a chair but I had to hover awkwardly. The casting process was weird. I've never actually broken anything before so it was a first for me too. Kili was concerned about what the doctor was trying to do to him. However, she seemed very patient and explained each step. This seemed to calm him slightly. She also asked him what colour he would like.

"Colour?" Kili said, confused.

"For the cast" She explained "What colour would you prefer?"

"Err, I don't know." said Kili

I leaned over then, and asked him, "What's your favourite colour Kili?"

"Blue!" He answered back, not missing a beat. His enthusiasm brought a smile to my face.

So Kili managed to get a royal blue cast. The cast only came up to his elbow which allowed him some range of motion. Once it was all done we were finally allowed to escape. Kili got a few stares on the way out. It's not everyday you see someone that looks like they stepped out of a fantasy book. People probably stared when we arrived too but we were all in too much of a panic to notice. We need to get this boy some people clothes.

When we got to the car Kili confessed that the reason he hesitated when asked for a colour was because he was scared that this world would have different names for colours. I admit I giggled a little bit at that.

It was nearly midday by the time we finally left the hospital. However, we now had the journey home to contend with. As the trail mum chose was quite a distance away from home, we were now confined to the car for the next couple of hours.

We did stop for food pretty soon into the journey. None of us had eaten since last night. Kili had to be nil-by-mouth until a doctor decided he wouldn't need surgery. This meant a trip to McDonalds. The first food Kili would try from our world was going to be a McDonalds. Probably not the best advocate for Earth food. But it was fast and we were starving.

Kili seemed to have a vague idea about what a burger was but I don't think it was called that in Middle Earth. Mum ordered herself a veggie wrap with fries and a strong coffee. I ordered two cheeseburgers with extra pickles. For Kili we decided to play it safe and order him a quarter pounder burger and fries. We decided not to risk getting him a fizzy drink just in case he didn't like it.

Kili was very intrigued about the drive thru and marvelled at how quickly we got our food. That's fast food for ya babe.

He seemed to enjoy his burger at least and devoured it in under a minute. Along with half of my fries. He made a face at mum's veggie meal, mumbling about it not being real food under his breath.

At some point I decided that I wasn't going to be on the road without some kind of music to listen to.

"Hey Kili, wanna see something cool?" I asked

"Cool? Why would I want to see something cold?" Kili replied.

"Nooo, sorry it means like amazing or awesome" I said, reaching for my phone, it had about 20% charge left.

"Alright then show me something 'cool'"

I asked Mum to hand me the aux cord and plugged it into my phone. Pulling up the spotify app I started scrolling through my playlists. What should I start with?

"What is that? It changes when you touch it" Kili inquired, his eyes wide.

I waved my hand at him "I'll explain later, I want to show you something else first"

Ah, that one's a nice one. I pushed play and the first few notes of 'Nancy Mulligan' started playing through the car's speakers.

Kili's mouth dropped open with a gasp, he looked around trying to find the source of the sound. "Music!" he breathed, a grin spreading across his face "How can there be music?"

I smiled back at him and pointed to my phone. As the song kicked in I joined in too.

I was twenty-four years old

When I met the woman I would call my own

Twenty-two grandkids now growing old

In that house that your brother bought ya

On the summer day when I proposed

I made that wedding ring from dentist gold

And I asked her father, but her daddy said, "No

You can't marry my daughter"

She and I went on the run

Don't care about religion

I'm gonna marry the woman I love

Down by the Wexford border

Kili loved it and asked for me to play more. It continued like this until we got home. He would listen to the songs, occasionally getting confused and flustered by some of the lyrics. I don't think he'd ever heard anyone swear or sing about sex in a song. I mean I tried to choose songs that weren't too bad but sometimes you forgot it was in there. His facial expressions at those songs did make me laugh.

Motivation by Normani came on and I found myself bopping along. I was also dog tired and apparently my filter had not woken from her slumber yet. Which led me to say, "Anika tried to tell me that this song was about pegging" right in the middle of the car.

"Oi, none of that please," said Mum while looking at me through the rear view mirror. "I don't need to be hearing things like that while I'm driving."

"Wait, What? What's pegging?" Kili asked innocently.

I burst out laughing, letting out a very unladylike snort.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I said, wiggling my eyebrows. Having no sleep is one hell of a drug.

Mum then gave me another 'look' through the mirror. "Leave Kili alone, Leah."

"I wasn't going to actually tell him what pegging was" I giggled.

"Well now I want to know." said Kili.

"We should probably sleep as soon as we get in" Mum cut in before I could say anything. "I think we need it."

I could agree with her on that one.

We got home around 3pm. We crawled through the front door and dumped everything in the living room. All of us were too tired to actually sort it all out. Mum gave Kili a very brief tour. I could tell Kili had a lot of questions but mum told him she would answer them all after they'd slept. She showed him to the guest bedroom, which was next to mine. Soon all of us were in our respective rooms, and I was out like a light.

I was running.

Trees zoomed past, their branches reaching out trying to ensnare me.

I could hear it. A car. It was snarling like an animal. The headlights were blinding beacons. It was close, too close.

Without warning my body was falling through the air. I fell forward, sharp rocks cutting into my hand.

I flipped onto my back. The car was barreling towards me.

Only, it wasn't a car anymore. The headlights became eyes and the snarling became real. it had a mangled face and sharp teeth. I only had time to cover my face before it attacked.

Gasping, I woke up from my nightmare. My arm was throbbed fiercely and I gritted against the pain. The painkillers must have worn off while I was asleep. I sat up and tried to calm my racing heart.

Great. Another nightmare to add to the list. How fun. I was more annoyed than scared to be honest.

The room was dark and street lights shone through the window. It must have been past midnight. I must have slept for a while then. I definitely needed it. The sleep, that is, not the nightmare.

Picking up my injured arm, I inspected it underneath the light from the window. My forearm was covered in white gauze. I gently ran my finger along the edge of the bandage. Underneath it there were four long gashes. It was definitely going to scar. Another one to add to my collection.

You don't really survive a car accident without some form of scarring. There were a few small ones on my arms and legs. However the biggest one was a rather nasty one across my stomach.

I was always self-conscious about it in school. Always tried to hide it when I changed for P.E. Until Anika came up with a story and told me to play along. She started telling everyone I survived a knife fight or some other extreme feat. People began to think it was cool then.

I needed to get up. There were painkillers thrown somewhere in the living room and I needed to harvest them.

With a groan I dragged myself out of bed and made my way down stairs. When I reached the bottom I realised that I wasn't the only one up. Soft voices emanated from the kitchen. Light shining around the edges of the door. Curious, I moved closer so I could listen in.

"I need to," A voice pleaded. Markedly male. Kili then.

"I can't in my right mind let you do that Kili." That was Mum's voice.

"But I need to find a way back, My family must think I'm dead."

"I know that Kili and I'm sympathetic but I know for a fact wandering out into this world on your own is not going to help you."

Wait, was he trying to leave? Surely he could see that it was a bad idea. He knew nothing about this world. Fear shot through me at the thought of all the bad things that could happen to him.

"How do you know?" said Kili, his voice uncertain.

"I'm not sure how, I just know that something drew Leah and I to that portal last night. I planned the trip with no real reason, just felt like I needed to. Something in me knew I needed to be there. And I feel deep down that if another one of those gateways opened I would know. I don't know how. I don't know why. I just do. So I think you'd have a better chance of getting home if you stayed here, with us."

I could sort of understand what mum was talking about. That idea scared the hell out of me. Why was this happening to us? Surely there are other people more suited to handling inter-dimensional singularities. A physicist perhaps.

Kili was silent for a few seconds before agreeing "Okay, I believe you."

I chose this moment to let my presence known. Being an eavesdropper in my own house felt a bit weird. I pushed the door open and squinted against the light. Mum and Kili were by the back door. Kili was in his torn overcoat with his sword attached to his back.

Good lord, if he went out like that he would be arrested so quickly.

The next thing I saw was a pile of twisted metal and plastic strewn across the floor. It took a moment before I realised that it was the toaster. It seems Kili must have had an encounter with the infamous faulty toaster. Must have scared him half to death.

"Not a fan of toast then?" I mumbled, pointing at the disembodied husk.

My way of breaking up the tension in the room, by saying something completely off topic.

"Sorry," said Kili, sheepishly

"I think Kili was a bit spooked that's all" Said Mum "I assume you heard most of that, then?"

I nodded back at her then faced Kili "So you're staying?"

Kili sighed deeply and said "I guess I am"

I smiled at him reassuringly "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be fun."


	5. You are Flesh and Blood

With Kili now staying with us, we realised that he needed clothes. He couldn't stay in what he had on. Fortunately, I had a penchant for overly large shirts to wear for bed. That meant that, for now, he had a clean shirt at least.

A good wash was needed however before we could even think about leaving the house. We still had a layer of grime over us from the other night. I had to cover my bandaged arm with a plastic carrier bag though. Wet bandages didn't make for healthy healing. Somehow I managed to wash with one arm.

Then it was Kili's turn. When I went to find him he was playing with the light switches. Off and on. A fascinated look on his face. He stopped quickly when I found him. Leaning against the wall as if he hadn't been messing with anything. I told him to follow me and he did without protest. The guy didn't seem particularly pleased about the plastic bag over his cast. Thankfully he didn't try and take it off though.

"Right" I said, "First things first, do they have running water in Middle Earth?"

"Of course we do we're not savages" Kili mused.

My cheeks heated up at that. "Oh good, I won't have to explain it then"

I then pointed towards the shower. "Do you have showers then?"

He paused briefly, in thought. "We do have something similar, but it is mainly richer dwarves that have them. Most dwarves just use communal bathing pools"

"Aren't you considered a richer dwarf, Mr Dwarven prince?"

Kili's eyebrows shot up "How…?" then a look of understanding took over "Oh right, I forgot you know things about me"

"Not everything" I said, turning back towards the bath.

Then I pointed out various soaps. "Body wash, shampoo"

"Sham- what" said Kili, confusion clear in his voice.

"It's hair soap" I clarified

His mouth formed an 'oh' shape as he understood. "Well what's that one then?" he said, pointing to a bottle of conditioner.

"Erm, also hair soap"

"Why do you need so many, surely soap is soap" Kili asked, bemused.

I shrugged my shoulders "Well I guess this one cleans" I said pointing to the shampoo, "and this one just makes it soft" pointing to the conditioner.

"Right" he paused briefly, looking around the room "I think I've got everything now"

I nodded at him. Right, good, all sorted. Kili's pointed cough then drew my attention towards him.

"You can leave now, unless you plan on watching me the whole time" He said with a suggestive smirk.

My cheeks flushed red. "Oh shut up, I'm leaving" I laughed, turning around to leave quickly.

By the door on a little stool was a towel and one of the shirts I was letting Kili borrow. I pointed them out to him before I left. He nodded, an amused grin on his face.

oOo

The shirt just about fit Kili. He may have been short but he was quite broad. He had shoulders for days. I couldn't believe the size of his biceps. It was rather strange seeing someone his height being so jacked. Kili had to keep his own trousers though as we definitely didn't have any of those lying around that would fit him.

I managed to find Kili an oversized hoodie that fit him. The first two we tried were a no go but the last one fit. He couldn't wear his leather one because it had long gashes down the arms. Also, he would look rather odd with a fantasy-esque coat and an iron man T-shirt. Like a lazy attempt at a fancy dress costume.

I decided to wear a dress. To the shock of nobody. I had the tendency to only wear dresses and the occasional skirt ensemble. The only way you ever got me in jeans was by force. Dresses were versatile, it made you look as if you made an effort when in reality it was one tube of fabric I had picked up and threw on. This one was a sky blue with little birds on it

We were just about to leave and I was braiding my hair in the living room mirror. Kili was avoiding, looking at me. Seeming to be more interested in his cast. He was tracing his hand down the plaster and trying to wiggle the fingers that were bound. His hair hung in damp ringlets around his face.

"Do you want a brush?" I asked, extending the brush towards him.

"N, No, No thank you" He stuttered, his cheeks slightly red.

That was a strange reaction. I turned back to the mirror and resumed braiding my hair. It took me a few moments before a memory bubbled to the surface.

"Oh shit, I forgot dwarves have a thing about hair don't they"

If I was recalling correctly dwarves only did their hair in front of family and loved ones. They probably had a thing about sharing brushes too. So this whole situation was a dwarven faux pas. Welp, that's awkward.

"Yes, we do" Kili conceded, a polite smile on his face.

"Well we can get you your own hair brush don't worry" I said "I can do this somewhere else if its making you feel uncomfortable" I wiggled my half-done braid in his direction.

"No, no, this is your home, you shouldn't have to move" he then pointed to the left "I'll... just look in this direction" his body then followed suit.

I couldn't help but giggle a little at his antics.

I finished my braids as quickly as I could so Kili would feel less awkward. My braids weren't as neat as they normally were. It was a little bit difficult with my arm injury. Moving my fingers this way and that tugged on the stitches. It was probably best to take some painkillers before we left the house. Kili too. He seemed to handle pain well but occasionally I would see his face scrunched up with pain or release a sharp breath through his teeth. Thankfully the hospital prescribed us some stronger painkillers than you get over the counter.

Tying my last braid up, I turned to Kili. "I'm gonna take some hard core drugs if you want in"

His nose wrinkled and he tilted his head "What?"

"Medicine, would you like some painkillers?"

"Ooh, yes please" he said, his hand ghosting over his shoulder.

I pushed my way towards the kitchen. Apparently they were there the whole time; not in the living room like I thought last night. They were in a white paper bag on the side. Mum was washing a few dishes by the sink. When I opened the bag mum had already poured me a glass of water.

"Aw thanks mum" I smiled.

I took two pills and washed them down with the water. Shaking my head and grimacing at the taste. I had took too long with the water and they had started to dissolve on my tongue. Eugh. Then I handed a couple pills over to Kili.

"Be careful not to chew them" I warned.

Too late. He had taken them off me and bitten down, too eager to wait. His whole face screwed up and he started coughing. Mum was behind him in an instant patting his back. I handed him the glass of water quickly. He took it from me and drank greedily. Water droplets spilled down the side of his mouth.

"Are you trying to poison me?" He coughed.

"Obviously not, If I was trying to poison you why would I take them as well?" I said "And I did try to warn you"

Kili just frowned, moving his tongue around his mouth to try and dislodge the taste.

oOo

After Kili composed himself we set off. Thankfully, with it being a monday morning, the shops would be relatively empty. Speaking of it being monday I had to inform Uni that I wouldn't be in. It was all done online, which was helpful. It hadn't been authorised yet but If being mauled by an animal isn't cause for a week off from Uni then I don't know what is.

Clothes was our first port of call. Kili needed a whole new wardrobe, after all. It seemed to be a challenge however as his measurements were not like average men. T-shirts were pretty straight forward, it was trousers where we had the problem. Apparently shops don't cater to you when your 5 feet tall. How rude. At some point we just gave in and decided we would have to trim the legs down at home.

Kili was not a fan of jeans. "I'm not putting another pair of them on" He said as he came out of the dressing room "They're scratchy and too tight and I thought I was going to be stuck in them".

Mum calmly reached over and took the offending garment out of his hands. She placed a hand on his shoulder, quieting his rambling "Don't worry darling we aren't going to force you to wear things you don't like"

He must have had quite an ordeal in the changing rooms if he was that angry at a pair of jeans. The thought was amusing and I tried to hide my smile behind my hand.

"Are you laughing at me? It's not funny you know" He said, though he did have a smile on his face.

He ended up getting some proper trousers and several pairs of soft jogging bottoms. Apparently they were more forgiving.

Kili was also amazed at the range of colours available.

"They're all so bright" he marveled, running his hand down a brightly patterned shirt "We could never get colour like this back home".

What then ensued was an overly excited dwarf picking up some of the most garish clothes imaginable. Rainbow shirts, brightly coloured trousers. It was a psychedelic colour explosion. Mum tried to suggest some more muted colours, which Kili sometimes agreed to. Whereas I was actively encouraging him, pointing out garments that he had missed. If the boy wanted to look like a toddler that had gotten dressed unaccompanied, then who was I to judge. I thought it was amazing, I wish I had the confidence to pull off some of the looks Kili was throwing out there.

"What about this?" I said, pulling out an amazing hawaiian shirt and holding it against Kili's chest. It was bright blue and had flamingos on it.

Kili had a big grin on his face. "It's perfect" he said, taking the shirt from me.

"What would you wear it with?" Mum interjected, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Those blue trousers with the white flowers on, obviously" Kili said matter of factly.

"Yeah mum, obviously" I laughed.

Next came shoes. The boots Kili currently had were huge and bulky. He would need a few pairs of more suitable shoes to move about in if he was staying with us for a while. God that's just so bizarre. We're gonna be living with a fictional character under our roof. Who knows how long he'll end up staying with us. I haven't lived with a boy for a long time, I can't remember what it was like. It has just been Mum and me for so long, I hope I didn't end up doing anything embarrassing.

This dwarf couldn't make things easy though. The boy had huge feet and most of the shoes wouldn't go anywhere near them. That meant we had to scour the shops for some size 14 shoes.

"Are you sure you're a dwarf and not a hobbit" I joked, sitting down next to Kili.

Kili was midway through putting a pair of bright blue trainers on. "How dare you" he mock gasped " I am of the noble race of Dwarves"

He then proceeded to shove me. I fell off of the seat with a little squeak, landing in a pile on the floor. "You little shit" I said, laughing.

He had also started laughing. I then dragged myself back up and sat back down. Turning to him, I narrowed my eyes. He held up a hand before I could do anything else.

"You can't push me I'm an injured dwarf" he said, giving me puppy dog eyes.

"I'm injured too you loser" I said, lifting my arm up to him.

He looked a bit guilty then "Oh yeah, I may have forgotten" he said with a sheepish smile "sorry… if it makes you feel any better I didn't mean to push you that hard".

"Oh well that makes it all fine then" I said sarcastically "Tell that to the bruise I just got from landing on a shoe"

"Oh really you two?" Mum had appeared in front of us "you're acting like a couple of five year olds"

She sighed and shook her head, small smile lifting the corners of her mouth "What have I gotten myself into?".

oOo

Kili ended up with a few pairs of shoes. One pair was at least black. Kili was having a lot of fun, that was until we reached the till. Then he became a little put out. He seemed to forget that someone had to pay for it all.

"It's too much" he said "you shouldn't have to spend your own money for me"

Mum wasn't having any of it though. She stopped in front of him. "As long as you are going to be living under my roof you will be my responsibility okay, I can't just leave you with nothing" She held up a hand when it looked like Kili was going to interrupt. "And anyway, once you return home I'm sure your mother would be happier to know that you were well looked after.''

"I guess so" Kili conceded. He didn't have much room to argue when she brought his mum into it.

Before we knew it, quite a bit of the day had gone by. We hadn't even gone food shopping yet. Mum decided that we should go to a small cafe and have some lunch. Sandwiches were a safe bet as we didn't actually know what food Kili liked.

We piled the many bags around a small 4 seater table as best as we could. Some bags were sticking out but we tried to make sure they weren't in anyone's way. Mum and I decided to share a pot of tea.

"What would you like to drink Kili?" Mum asked.

"Er, I don't know I've never really like tea all that much" He admitted "Do they have any Ale or mead?"

"No Kili, it's not really a thing here to drink alcohol in the day" I said.

His eyebrows drew together "Really? but it's normally watered down, everyone drinks it even children"

I blinked at that.

"Well they don't really do that here, I'm afraid" said Mum.

Kili looked quite downtrodden. I didn't like seeing him sad.

"I know something you might like" I said

He looked up inquisitive "It's called hot chocolate, I have a feeling you might be a fan of sweet things"

"Sweet sounds good" he smiled.

Mum went up and placed our orders. They didn't take long to arrive. Mine and Mum's arrived in a small teapot covered in flowers. Kili's had a chocolate powder heart sprinkled onto the top of his. He informed me that it was 'cold'. I raised my eyebrow at him, I could definitely see steam coming off of it. It was in fact hot. He then explained that he meant it in the way that I described in the car yesterday. 'ooh he meant cool'. I corrected him and he gave an amused smile "Eh" he shrugged, "It's the same thing".

Turned out Kili was in fact a big fan of hot chocolate. Mum did scold him, however, when he tried to add five sugars to his cup.

oOo

Next on the agenda was food shopping. We packed all of Kili's new clothes into the back of the car as best as we could. Considering we forgot to take out Kili's sword and quiver the other night it made it a little difficult.

We went to the local supermarket after squeezing everything in the car. I was excited. Is it weird to get excited about food shopping? I wanted to introduce Kili to new foods. The part of my brain that loved cooking was singing with all the possibilities. Pasta dishes. Rice. Ooh noodles he's probably never had those.

Kili wandered next to us as we cruised down the aisles. His eyes were wide and he was looking around at everything. Every so often he would walk into other people's trolleys because he wasn't looking where he was walking. When this would happen I would grab his elbow and pull him out of the way.

"You need to look where you're going dude" I said, pulling him gently to the side and offering the woman he bumped into an apologetic smile.

The old woman huffed and complained about disrespectful youth.

"It's cold, a cold shelf" He said, too intrigued by the fridge.

"It's called a fridge" I clarified "It keeps food cool so it doesn't go off"

The woman was giving Kili a weird look. Her judgy face was set in a look of disapproval. I narrowed my eyes at her, dragging Kili away from her. Snooty cow.

"It's like a portable ice cave" Kili marvelled.

"Yeah and we have our own at home, you can look at that one when we get in" we reached where my mum and our trolley was "For now, you need to look where you're going"

Kili agreed and thankfully didn't bump into anymore people. We slowly made our way around the shop, Kili asking questions about everything. At one point we had reached the sweet aisle. My eyes lit up. What better way to introduce Kili to our world than a shit ton of sweets. I turned to mum eagerly.

"No, I'm not buying those" She replied to my look "If you want them then you can get them yourself"

I turned to Kili and placed my hand on his shoulder "Don't worry dude" I fist bumped my chest "I got you"

"I'm confused" he said

"Sweets, Kili" I clarified "If you like liquid chocolate I can guarantee you'll like it in bar form"

His face lit up and he looked around the aisle eagerly. "I do like sweets"

I may have gone overboard on the sweets. But he was a guest to this world. He might as well enjoy his time here. It's not like he's gonna eat them all in one go. At least I hope not. The last thing I needed was a lost dwarf on a sugar high.

Before we left we remembered that Kili needed his own hair stuff. He scanned the available brushes with surprising scrutiny. Holding up the brushes to the light, running his hand down the bristles, tapping the back of them. Most of them didn't hold up and he discarded them with a frown. Serious business. Eventually one was deemed sufficient enough. It was a solid wooden one.

"Would you like your own shampoo?" I asked, scanning the bottles in front of me.

"I guess so" he followed my gaze and looked at the shelf in front of him. So many choices

I reached for one and popped open the lid. Holding it up, I pushed it towards Kili's nose. He blinked as I brought it up to his face.

"Smell it" I said, waggling the bottle in front of his nose.

He leaned forward tentatively and inhaled. A pleasant expression spread across his face. "It smells nice"

"Which one do you want?" I said, motioning to the shelves.

What followed was an inquisitive dwarf hastily picking up bottle after bottle, inhaling deeply. It was an odd sight. Eventually he chose a raspberry scented one. It was a good choice. I might steal some at one point or another.

As we were about to leave the aisle I realised Kili had stopped following me. He was looking at something on the shelves. Following his line of sight I saw it was for beard products. His hand was stroking his chin and he looked strangely vulnerable.

"What are these?" He said pointing towards the shelf

I picked up one of the products off the shelf. It was a glass bottle with a pipette at the top. There was a black and white picture of a beard on the front.

"Er its beard oil" I said, turning the bottle over in my hand "It's supposed to make your beard grow faster I think"

Kili looked down, his hand back on his chin, rubbing his stubble. "Could I have some?" he asked, voice not as steady as it had been.

"Of course you can" I said, giving him an encouraging smile.

oOo

After food shopping was done we called it a day and went home. Kili was happily chomping on sweets in the car. He was like a child on Christmas.

"I like these," he said, a half eaten rainbow belt hanging out of his mouth.

"Me too" I said, reaching over and stealing one out of his hand.

I put it in my mouth before he could steal it back. It was sour and sweet. The grains of sugar rubbed against my tongue.

Kili's mouth was open, a look of shock and horror. "How could you?"

"I bought them" I laughed.

"For me" he said, angling the bag away from me and conspicuously taking another bite.

"Aw please Kili, just one more" I pouted, sticking my bottom lip out.

Kili narrowed his eyes briefly but then conceded. "You can have one more"

He held the bag out towards me as an invitation. I looked him dead in the eyes. And then took three.

"You thief" Kili said, a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

I simply laughed and put another one in my mouth. He also grinned back at me, a full smile that lit up his whole face. It made me feel warm and happy. I liked it when he smiled.

When we got home we lugged everything out of the car and into the house. There were so many bags it was ridiculous. We decided to delegate tasks. Kili and I would sort out his clothes and mum would sort out the food. I carried the bags up to Kili's room. Kili wasn't very happy when I wouldn't let him carry the heavy bags. Something about how it should be him helping me, and how his mother would kill him if she knew he was letting me do all the hard work. I wouldn't budge though. The guy was way more injured than me. I was not risking him hurting himself more. I let him carry some of the lighter bags as a compromise.

Kili and I went about putting his new clothes away. There was a set of drawers and a small wardrobe in the room. We folded some clothes and hung up others. I assigned Kili to hanger duty as his attempt at folding was abysmal. Soon we were done. I flopped down onto the bed and fell backwards. I was shattered. Today had been a busy day. Kili sat down next to me. Perched on the edge.

"It's not everyday that I have a girl in my bed" he joked, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Shut up" I said, hitting his leg with my knee.

Kili snickered. He carried on smiling for a moment before his face went more serious.

"So is it just you and your mother here?" he asked, tentatively.

I dragged myself up to a sitting position. My feet dangled, not quite touching the floor. Then again so did Kili's.

"Yeah" I breathed "It's just us two now"

Looking down, I started messing with the edges of my bandages. Pulling at the frayed strands. Rolling them between my fingers.

"I did have a dad...and a brother" I took a deep breath to try and steady myself "They died when I was 6"

"Oh im so sorry Leah" Kili said "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to"

"No" I said, with a small shake of my head "No, I can talk about it"

Thinking about my dad and brother, I got an idea. I told Kili to wait there and rushed to my room. It wasn't long and I was back with an object in my hand. Kili was still in the same place. I sat back down next to him. Cradling the object to my chest. Slowly, I lowered it down to reveal a photo frame. It was a family photo. Mum and Dad were standing next to each other. I was in dad's arms and Lachlan was in mum's. We looked so happy. Dad's hair was only a little bit shorter than mine was in the photo. Reaching his shoulders. His eyes crinkled when he smiled. Lachlan had his mouth wide open and his hands in the air. He was a very excitable child, so I'm told.

My chest tightened looking at the photo. I had come to terms with losing them over the years but it still hit me hard.

I pointed towards my dad "That's my dad, he was called Theodore" then I pointed to my brother "That's my brother, he was called Lachlan"

"Is this a painting?" he said, hand hovering over the glass "It's so lifelike"

Not lifelike enough. "It's a photograph, like a very realistic painting" I replied.

"Your brother is he…?" said Kili

"He was my twin, the same age as me" I said before he could finish.

"By Mahal that's awful" he said, his eyes scanning my face. "I can't imagine losing a brother, if I lost Fili I don't know how I'd cope"

I gave him a sad smile. It probably didn't reach my eyes.

"How did they die?... if, if that's okay to ask" Kili stuttered

"It's fine," I said, waving my hand "They died in a car crash, someone drove into the side of our car".

Kili's eyebrows shot up "A car...I thought you told me they were safe"

"Well, normally they are but not always" I shrugged.

Kili looked down. He started playing with the zip on his jacket. "Forgive me if I'm a little nervous about getting back into a car now"

I laughed a little at that. Bumping his shoulder with mine. "That makes two of us"

Kili smiled back at me. Then he sighed. "My Father died too… Though you probably knew that already"

"I know that he died but that's all, I don't know anything else really. Not even his name" I confessed.

"Oh, well, his name was Vali" he smiled, eyes still sad "And he was the best Adad a dwarf could hope for. He was noble, and strong and caring"

He looked down at the photo in my hands. "At least you have such a good painting of you're Adad, I struggle to remember what mine looked like sometimes, I just remember that he looked a lot like Fili" his breath shuddered and the start of a tear was forming in his eye.

My heart broke at the sight. Being careful of his stitches, I wrapped my arm around his. Hugging his arm against me. Then I laced my fingers in his hand, squeezing gently. My other hand lay on top of where our hands were joined. He squeezed my hand back and we gave each other a sympathetic smile.

I feel like the next few chapters will just be short one shots of Kili's time in modern day earth, they might not be as long as these ones have been.


	6. You don't have to be a ghost

I woke up the next day feeling slightly more alive. Everything over the past few days had been mental and exhausting. Sorting my sleep schedule out seemed to help though. Sleep was always good. My muscles groaned in protest as I stretched my arms above my head. A yawn pulled at the edges of my mouth. My phone was charging on the table next to me. Looking at it I realised that I hadn't spoken to Anika since friday. Shit, she'll probably be mad. I picked the phone up and scrolled through all the notifications. Messages asking how I was that then got more panicked as time went on.

Oh god I needed to call her. Should I tell her everything? I don't even know if she would believe me. Though I think if I looked convinced enough Anika would come around. We could trust each other. If I had some evidence it might help convince her. There was Kili's sword, that could help. And maybe… Oh wait I had even better proof. I'd filmed it didn't I. Scared that we would be abducted by aliens.

Going to my gallery, I scrolled down to the most recent videos. There it was. Bright and blinding. Kili fell out and then followed the warg. That's when I must have dropped my phone because the screen went black. Watching the video sent a chill through me and my heart rate picked up. Fuck me, I can't believe that actually happened. Strangely though, the video didn't pick up any of the weird noises that came from the portal. You could still hear other sounds though, so it wasn't as if it hadn't recorded any sound.

I shook my head. Nope. Not dealing with that today. Steeling myself, I held up the phone and dialled Anika's number. This was worth a phone call rather than a text. She picked pretty much straight away.

"Bitch, where have you been I thought you were dead!" Anika's concerned voice rang down the phone "I was so close to calling the police, you don't even know"

"I'm so sorry Anika," I said, rubbing a hand down my face "So much shit happened that I haven't really had much time to pick up my phone"

"Shit? what kind of shit, are you okay?"

"Oh god I don't even know where to start" I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

"Put me on video messenger I wanna see you" she implored.

After fiddling with apps for a minute Anika's face filled up the screen. Her eyes were wide and she was biting her lower lip.

"Heeey babe" I waved.

"Don't heeey me, tell me what's wrong" she interrupted

I swapped hands with my phone so I could lift up the injured one. The bandage covered nearly my whole forearm and it would probably be a good place to start. Angling my phone I made it so my arm was in full view.

"Well, this happened" I said waving my arm about.

"Jesus, how did you do that?" Anika sucked in air through her teeth "You didn't fall down a mountain did you?"

"Not quite" I shook my head "I would have preferred If I did I think. No, this was caused by an animal"

"An animal?!, you don't have rabies right? How did that even happen? Did you anger a goat or something?" Her questions came so fast I almost didn't catch them all.

"No I didn't anger a goat" I said, slightly affronted. "More like a wolf thing"

Anika's eyebrows drew together. "A wolf?, why the fuck was there a wolf"

I realised then that I didn't really want to do this over the phone. It would be a lot easier face to face. The real face to face not just video calling.

"Ani, is there any way you could come over. I feel like it would be a lot better if we could do this in person"

"Uuh, I've got lectures until 1 so I'll only be able to come around after that," said Anika "Are you really gonna leave me on edge all day? I won't be able to concentrate. I need the deets"

"You'll get them all don't worry, I love yooou" I said

"Love you too, don't get eaten before I get there" She said, pointing her finger at me

"I won't. I promise".

We both waved goodbye and I put my phone down. I inhaled deeply through my nose and exhaled out of my mouth, puffing out my cheeks. Hopefully she takes the news well and we can all live happily ever after.

Walking out of my room I saw that Kili was still asleep. I say saw. Really, I heard him snoring through the door. The living room was empty when I made it down the stairs. So was the kitchen. There was a shiny new toaster on the side though. At least we could make toast for breakfast now.

I looked around, confused. Mum should be here. I saw that she wasn't in her bedroom. She must have gone out or something. Through the window, the sun was shining on the back garden. It was quite big as we lived on the corner of a cul-de-sac. Flowers lined the edges with plant boxes in the corner for vegetables. In the middle was a paved seating area with a pergola covering it. Anika and I once made mum wrap fairy lights around it so it would look like the gazebo from the twilight prom scene. Yes we were that sad.

That's when I saw the light catch on a blonde head. Oh there's mum. She was sitting on a rattan seat, facing away from the house. Why was she outside? I made my way out of the back door towards her. The grass was slightly damp as it brushed my exposed ankles. It needed a bit of a trim. I was about to announce my presence when the words died in my mouth.

Mum was just staring, hardly blinking. She looked as if she hadn't even heard me approach. Her mouth was set in a thin line and tears were forming in her eyes. I suddenly couldn't breathe.

What was happening? Oh God, Is she okay?

We hadn't really had a chance to talk about what had happened. The way mum had cried out at the portal closing. A full cup of tea was on the table next to her. Stone cold. She could have been out here for god knows how long. I shuffled forward as silently as I could.

"Mum?" I said, voice almost a whisper.

The sound seemed to shock her out of it. She blinked rapidly and sucked in a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" I said

She looked at me then, a small smile on her face "Oh Leah, I'm sorry I was too deep in my thoughts. I didn't even hear you coming"

Mum reached forward and picked up her mug, taking a sip. Her nose wrinkled up in disgust and she put it back down "Oh it's cold"

I walked over and sat next to mum on the seat. "We haven't really had a chance to talk since the 'thing'" I said "And I'm scared, did it do something to you? You seem so hurt"

Mum reached over and squeezed my hand, a pleasant smile on her face. "Of course not darling, I'm okay"

I pulled my hand out of hers. She was obviously lying. You don't react like that if nothing happened. "I'm not an idiot mum, obviously something happened" I pleaded.

She sighed. For a moment it looked like she wasn't going to say anything. When she did it was in a low voice. "I'm not sure, it's just" she sighed "when that light was open it made me think of your father"

Dad? Why would it make her think of him? She saw my confused look and carried on.

"It was like when I was in front of it, he was all I could think about. All different kinds of memories ran through my head. All him. All happy. And when it disappeared it hit me hard" she looked at me with a sad smile "I'm sorry for making you worry,"

So it was the thought of dad that was making mum hurt so much. I could understand that, we all get caught up in grief sometimes. Though I still have no idea why the portal made her think of dad. It's not as if dad had ever been a disembodied light in the middle of a field.

Thinking back, I do remember mum acting this way before. Most of the time she had tried to hide her grief from me, probably to protect me in some way. She had gotten better at hiding her grief over the years. That's probably why her reaction shocked me so much. But I was older now, I want her to have to hide her feelings from me.

"It's okay mum" I said, leaning my head on her shoulder.

She wrapped her arm around my back and held me to her. A kiss was planted on the crown of my head.

"It's probably best that I cancel wine night with Steve and Katherine this week" she breathed.

I hummed in agreement. Steve and Katherine were Anika's adopted parents. They had all become friends as Anika and I spent more time together. Wine night was originally a book club but it hadn't been for a while. Only Steve was still convinced it was a book club and still called it that.

We stayed sat like that for a little bit. Just watching the sun shine on the leaves and the birds singing.

oOo

Kili woke up a little while later. Bleary eyed, groggy and wearing pajama bottoms that were too long for him. He wasn't a morning person evidently. I informed him that a friend of mine was coming over and that we could trust her with the secret. He seemed a bit wary but excited to meet someone new. I then told him that if he was meeting my friend that he needed to get dressed. Which he readily agreed with.

I waited downstairs while he got dressed. When he arrived, descending down the stairs like a colourful masterpiece. He had a long sleeve shirt covered in mutli-coloured patterns. Red, blue, yellow and green. It looked like a bowling alley carpet in all seriousness. The left sleeve was unbuttoned to accommodate the cast. Then on top of that was a short sleeve t-shirt that was blue and covered in tiny pictures of sharks. Kili didn't even know what a shark was he just thought they were cool. Then to top it all off he had bright green trousers. Masterpiece indeed. I definitely needed a picture of this.

"Hey Kili I want to try something" I said as Kili came into the living room.

He arched an eyebrow in response. "Depends what it is"

"You just stand there" I said, while moving him to stand against the wall "And smile"

I lifted my phone up and moved back a few steps. Bumping into the back of the settee in the process. Kili looked confused.

"Come on smile" I encouraged "Trust me, it's cool, or 'cold' if you prefer"

Kili relented and gave a very forced grin. I guess that's the best I was getting. I then took a few photos; In portrait mode because I wanted the whole outfit in there. Dropping my hand back down I assessed whether the photos were adequate or not. Yep, they were all good.

"Right come and see" I said, motioning with my hand for him to come forward.

He inched forward cautiously. When he was next to me I angled the phone towards him. His face lit up in wonder and he reached out to hold the phone.

"That's me?!" He said, a huge grin on his face.

"It is" I grinned back

"Can you do more?, We should do another one" he babbled.

"Of course" I said "Let's do a selfie this time"

I held my phone up and flipped the camera to front facing. Kili's eyes lit up.

"Durin's beard It's us and it moves," he said, moving his head around and watching the image on the phone do the same. Like a shadow boxer.

"Keep still and smile," I said, smiling at his reaction.

He did so without protest this time. And with a genuine smile.

What followed was essentially a photoshoot. Kili directed what he wanted, where he wanted to be, the angle etc. Mum walked in on us hanging off of the edge the settee. Our backs were on the cushions but our heads dangled off the front of the seat. We were in hysterics. For some reason everything was funnier when you were upside down. Probably the blood rushing to your head. I couldn't stop laughing at the facial expressions Kili was doing. Mum simply laughed while shaking her head.

oOo

The photoshoot ended pretty soon after that. We still had a couple hours to kill before Anika would show up. I decided to show Kili some more music. We were in the garden, on the little seating area. It was a nice day, only a bit chilly when the wind blew your way. I had just returned from the house with headphones in tow. Plugging the headphones into my phone I checked that sound was coming through them. I put one earbud in my ear and adjusted the volume so it wasn't too loud. Don't want to give the boy a heart attack.

Satisfied with the volume, I handed both earbuds to Kili. He grabbed them delicately, looking like they might explode. "Put them in your ears" I said motioning to my own ears.

Slowly he moved them to his ears, seeming very cautious.

"Right, tell me when you can hear something" I said, pressing play on the song.

You could tell the moment the music started playing because his eyes went comically wide.

"IT'S MUSIC" he shouted, a happy grin on his face.

I winced slightly at the volume of his voice. Reaching forward I took out one of his headphones. "You don't have to shout Kili, I can hear you when you speak normally"

"Really?" he said puzzled "But I had to speak over the music"

"Only you can hear the music because you have the headphones" I explained.

"Oh right" he said, then he frowned a little "I don't want to be the only one who can hear the music, you should be able to hear it too".

Aww that's thoughtful of him. It made me smile. I then took the earbud that was in my hand and put it into my own ear.

"Now we can both listen to it," I said.

A new song then started drifting through the headphones.

_Did I say something wrong? Did you hear what I was thinking?_ _Did I talk way too long when I told you all my feelings that night? Is it you? Is it me? Did you find somebody better? Someone who isn't me, 'cause I know that I was never your type Never really your type_

_Overthinking's got me drinking Messing with my head, whoa_

_Tell me what you hate about me Whatever it is, I'm sorry Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah I know I can be dramatic But everybody said we had it Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_I'm coming to terms with a broken heart I guess that sometimes good things fall apart_

We sat like that for a little while, just listening to songs. Occasionally I would sing along. Kili seemed to be developing a preference for certain types of music over others.

"So, what kind of music do you like the best then?" I inquired.

"I like whatever you sing, of course," he said with a very big grin.

I could feel my face heating up. Why doth mine cheeks betray me? I gave him a gentle shove and told him to shut up.

"You blush so easily" he laughed, poking my cheek with a finger.

I swatted his hand away. "Stop poking me" I tried to say in a serious voice but a smile may have betrayed me.

"Seriously though, what do you like?" I asked.

He paused for a few moments, deep in thought. "I guess I like louder songs and ones where you can hear the instruments" he said "I do like some of the stranger ones too, I have no idea how you make some of those noises. Not like any instrument I've ever heard"

That gave me some ideas about what music I could introduce him to. Rock bands seem to be the best place to start like ACDC or Queen. He'd probably like some more modern stuff too. I'll show him some Killers and Panic at the disco.

"I love music, always have done" said Kili, his eyes focused on the trees in front of him. "I would always drag Fili and Amad to one of the music halls. They'd grumble about it but I think they liked it really." a smile graced his face.

"I would just stand there listening to the instruments, and the voices would bounce off the walls. Amad bought me a violin for my birthday once and I was so excited I practised it nearly every hour. She nearly regretted that gift" he laughed.

"I always wanted more. When the people stopped playing I would be sad, I'd have to wait until the next day to hear more. But here. Here you can listen to it whenever you want, It's incredible"

Hearing how much Kili loved music made my heart sing. He had such passion in his voice when he spoke about it.

"I used to put on music shows for the whole family to watch" I added. I couldn't remember too much about them because I was very young but mum had told me about them. "I would make up my own songs and dances and I made everyone sit down and watch them. Mum told me that I would also make Lachlan be my back-up dancer" the memory made me giggle.

"I always wanted to become a singer. To be famous and sing in front of thousands of people. Things don't work out that way though. I wouldn't even know where to begin" I said, sighing.

"I think you'd be a great singer" Kili said with a smile.

oOo

Anika arrived not long after 1. Being able to drive meant that she didn't need to take an hour on the bus. I left Kili in the garden listening to music while I went to the front door. Anika bundled her way inside as soon as the door opened.

"Right tell me everything" She said.

We sat down on the settee and I tried to explain as best as I could. I told her the whole story and showed her the video to back it up. She was very disbelieving at first but slowly she was coming around to the idea.

"This is mental, how the hell is this happening?" she said, looking to me for an answer.

I shook my head "How am I supposed to know" I said, rubbing my temples "This whole thing is just wild, I need a scientist or something."

Anika looked at me with narrowed eyes "Did you just wish _really_ hard for a dwarf in shining armour?"

I scoffed at her and slapped her on the arm. Heat rising in my cheeks "Not helpful".

Anika laughed and then her eyebrows pulled together "Does this mean that Tolkien has been there or was he just really good at guessing?"

"Who knows dude, it's not as if we could ask him either. It might have helped us to get Kili home" I said.

"I want to meet him," said Anika, suddenly very restless and bouncing in her seat "I've never met a Middle Earth dwarf before".

I told her to follow me to the garden. Kili was where I left him, sitting down listening to music. He had both earphones in and didn't hear us approach. Trying not to startle him, I gently tapped on his shoulder. He turned, quickly taking out the headphones. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Anika next to me.

"Hiii" Anika waved "I'm Anika, Leah's friend".

Kili seemed taken aback by Anika. "So many braids" he whispered with wonder,

"You must have accomplished many great deeds".

Anika seemed very pleased with herself. "Well of course I have" she said both hands folded over chest. Then she reached over a nudged me "Tell him of all my great deeds Leah"

"What like the time you got chased by a goose" I laughed.

Anika gasped "That's slander, I was rescuing Rosie from a vicious goose attack. if anything I'm a hero"

Kili looked quite confused about our exchange. Deciding not to leave him in the dark I explained. "Here people's braid don't really symbolise anything they're mostly just for personal preference"

"Erm, they symbolise the fact that I look hot as hell I'll have you know" Anika interjected, then she sighed. "She's right though, I wear my hair like this because I like it not because I'm some superhero."

"Oh I see" Then Kili seemed to remember himself at got to his feet.

"I'm Kili" he bowed "At your service"

oOo

We spent the rest of the day just talking amongst ourselves. Kili would tell us some stories from his home and we would tell him stories about ours. A lot of mine and Anika's stories seemed to be at the expense of the other. I didn't mind though, I seem to be in the weird minority that loved people knowing about their embarrassing stories. If it was funny why shouldn't other people hear it.

Anika had started questioning Kili "Wait so how old are?"

"Im 77" said Kili.

From what I can remember that made Kili a young dwarf, just coming of age. So it terms of human years he was about our age; early 20's.

"77?! Holy shit you're an old man" Anika snorted.

Kili looked scandalised "I'll have you know I am a young dwarf, not a man"

Anika was still giggling "Okay I won't call you an old man… how about geriatric?"

"I have a feeling that's not good either," said Kili.

"It means exactly the same thing" I informed him.

Anika had stopped laughing now and wiped a tear from her eye "I'm gonna call you Geri"

Kili just sighed seeming resigned to his fate.

oOo

A week went by and I realised that I had to go back to Uni. As mum had gone back to work Kili was going to have to come with me. I didn't feel comfortable leaving Kili on his own just yet and I don't think Kili would like being alone either. It wouldn't be a problem though. My Uni is weird. They never ask anyone to wear their student I.D so anyone could just walk into any lecture.

I was in a bed shirt and a pair of shorts when I came into the living room. Kili was sitting on the settee. He went bright red when he saw me. Shit, sharing a house with a guy is gonna be hard. I forgot that walking around the house in booty shorts probably wasn't the best plan.

"Oh hello" he coughed, avoiding eye contact.

"Sorry" I laughed nervously "Shorts probably aren't the most appropriate thing"

"I've got to get used to quite a lot in this world" he laughed, looking back at me.

His eyes flitted back down to my legs and he froze, eyebrows drawing together. He was staring, transfixed by my leg. It made me self-conscious and I looked down to see what he was staring at.

Well shit. I forgot about that. It's probably quite a shock to see your dwarven homeland tattooed on a random person's body.

"What is that?" he said pointing to my right thigh.

"It's a tattoo…" I said

"But that, that's Erebor, you have Erebor tattooed on your leg" He said incredulously.

"Okay, okay here me out. I was a big fan of your stories before I even knew you really existed I wanted something to show that" I said, flustered.

Kili still looked a bit skeptical but didn't push it any further. Then suddenly he broke out into a mischievous grin "So you must really like Dwarves then"

"Oh get that grin off your face" I said, face heating up.

oOo

There were two buses I needed to catch to get to Uni. One took us into town and then the other would take us onto campus. Anika was meeting us and getting on the second bus with us. Normally she took her car but today she decided to join us on the bus.

Kili was not a fan of buses. After learning about my car accident he was very wary of motor vehicles. Apparently the lack of seatbelts made buses even worse. When we got off the first bus Kili was very pale.

I put my hand on his shoulder "It's okay Kili, you'll get used to it"

"If you say so" He mumbled.

Anika was waving at us from a few stops down. The uni bus was already here and a large group of people were piling onto it. Oh god I hope there's a seat. I don't think Kili would be happy if he had to stand. Jogging a little, we reached Anika. We may have pushed in a little bit but it's fiiine.

We piled onto the bus and tried to find a seat. There were two towards the back, one opposite each side of the aisle. I pushed Kili in front of me eager to get the seats before anyone else. Having made it to the seat I pushed Kili down into it. Anika took the seat opposite. Then the bus was moving. I had to grab onto the pole to stop myself from falling.

Kili was looking around "Is there no other seats?"

"Don't think so, quite a few people are standing now," I said, feet sliding a bit.

"You should have this seat, I shouldn't be sitting while you have to stand" he said earnestly.

I think it was probably a dwarf trait. Females in their society were treated with the utmost respect because there was so few of them. Which probably meant that many dwarves did things so that the dwarrowdams didn't have to. Like standing on the bus and giving her your seat. While it was heartwarming, it was completely unnecessary. I had more experience standing on a bus than he did.

"Kili, honestly, I'm fine. The bus should only take 15 minutes tops" I said.

Kili seemed adamant though. Even tried to get out of his seat. That's when two arms wrapped themselves around my torso and pulled me backwards. I half fell into Anika's lap.

"See now everyone's happy" She smiled

"Thanks, babe" I said

"No problem, darling" she laughed.

Kili settled down then and sat back down. Anika then began twirling a strand of my hair in her fingers.

"You know this is the part in the rom-com where you put my hair behind my ears" I said raising my eyebrows suggestively.

She then lifted the ends of my hair up towards me "Is it also the part of the rom-com where you get a hair-cut? Because you're getting split ends"

"Rude" I said, pulling my hair out of her hand.

"I haven't got any lectures at 12 so I was planning to sneak into yours" Anika said "I want to see what Kili thinks of University" she nodded her head towards Kili.

"As long as I don't have to do any of the work I'll probably be fine" said Kili and then wrinkled his nose "I'm not very scholarly".

oOo

I only had two lectures today. However the first one was two hours long and the next one started straight after. 3 hours of joy. First up was my cognitive neuroscience module. Thankfully, I actually enjoyed this one and the lecturer was really nice. His name was Jim Brooks and he got very excited about FMRI's.

"Right hello 2nd year students, today we'll be following on from last weeks lecture on FMRI's" he paused for a moment, looking around "We'll also be looking at Aphasia, we'll touch on that further into the lecture".

Kili and I had found a place towards the middle of the lecture hall. I got my notebook and pens out ready to take notes. Notes however didn't come. I was terrible at taking notes during a lecture, I normally had to write them up afterwards. Boredom began to creep in and I itched to play with my hair. I stopped myself however because I was a good friend and didn't want to make Kili uncomfortable. This meant it was time to initiate origami mode.

I tore a piece of paper out of my notebook. Thankfully it was more silently than the last time. Kili saw me and raised an eyebrow in confusion. He leaned forward and whispered "Aren't you supposed to be listening"

I turned my face to him, resting my chin on my hand. "Technically, yeah but I'm not very good at it".

He then copied my stance and held his own chin in his hand "You know, If I ever didn't listen to my tutors they'd clip me round the ear"

"Is that a threat?" I mocked.

"Maybe" he grinned.

"Oh shush" I whispered, returning to my origami.

I decided to make a little flower first. Once it was finished I offered it to Kili.

"Here you can have it" I said putting it into his hand.

He became very still, just staring at it in his hand. "Is this a flower?" he whispered after a moment.

"Yeah I think it's supposed to be a rose or a lotus flower" I clarified.

Kili nodded back. He was holding the flower in his hand very delicately as if was made of glass.

"You don't have to be too delicate with" I joked "I can always make you another one"

The corners of his lips twitched up and he very carefully placed the flower in his pocket. A slight pink tinge to his cheeks.

That was an odd reaction.

Turning back to face the front, I tuned back into the lecture.

"There are a few different kinds of Aphasia, but we're only going to focus on two. That is Broca's aphasia and Wernicke's aphasia. Now aphasia, Is an impairment in language and speech production brought about by damage to the brain. Did I say the word aphasia too many times? I feel like I did" he laughed

"Anyway, Wernicke's area is towards the centre of the brain in the temporal lobe" He used a laser pointer to indicate to a picture of a brain on the board. "When this area gets damaged language comprehension becomes impaired. Often they can still speak fluently, all the words are real words, but it's gibberish. Like 'My cat door through air".

The slide changed over to another picture of a brain. Only this one had a different area highlighted.

"And this one is called Broca's area, it is located in the frontal lobe" He motioned to the front of his head with his hand. "Damage to this area can cause similar yet different symptoms. Language comprehension remains intact. They can fully understand what is being said to them. However the impairment then comes from speech production. They struggle to form the words that they want to say and it comes out as something else".

It was actually quite interesting. However, the lecturer quickly moved on to a different topic and I tuned back out again.

oOo

Anika met us outside the lecture theatre for my next class. She had just gotten out of one of her English lectures. We followed in behind a group of other students. Anika decided that we should sit near the back. We managed to get some seats in the middle of the row. I was on the left, Kili was in the middle and Anika was on the right.

"I think we should have a selfie to commemorate" Said Anika, reaching for her phone.

Kili looked very excited and agreed with her. Anika flipped her camera to front facing and angled her phone so that we were all in the photo.

"Say cheese" she said.

Kili moved just as she took the photo. His eyebrows were drawn together and he was looking around confused.

"Dude you moved, the picture's blurry" Anika huffed.

"Where's the cheese" Kili said, confusion lacing his voice.

"What?" Anika laughed.

"The cheese" Kili clarified "You said cheese but I don't see any"

I giggled at his cluelessness "She's not on about real cheese Kili it's an expression"

"I still don't get it" Kili said shaking his head. A few strands of hair falling in front of his eyes.

"If you say 'Cheeeese'" I extended the word cheese showing my teeth "It sort of makes you smile, so people say it before taking a photo"

His face formed an Oohh shape as he finally understood. He then started repeating the word cheese to himself, moving his lips in an exaggerated fashion.

"Can we take the photo now?" Anika said, exasperated.

Kili stopped saying the word cheese and leaned forward. I followed suit and Anika managed to take a few photos.

The lecture started and it was boring as hell. Something about psychodynamic processes. That was until they got to the juicy topic of Freud.

"...As we all probably know by now Freud had some very strange ideas about child development. His most famous one of course being that all boys want to have sex with their mothers and that all girls want to have sex with their fathers"

"WHAT?!" Kili yelled from the back of the lecture hall.

Quite a few students started laughing. Probably thinking he was just trying to be funny. Kili however looked distraught and disgusted. I quickly covered his mouth with my hand before he could yell anything else. Anika was losing it next to Kili, tears in her eyes. I motioned with my finger for Kili to shush while also trying to contain my own laughter.

The lecturer looked slightly amused and then started to carry on with his lecture when it looked like people had calmed down. Anika was trying to be silent but I think that made her want to laugh more.

I slowly removed my hand from Kili's mouth.

"That's disgusting! I would never! I think I'm going to be sick!" Kili whispered harshly, his face had gone bright red.

Anika was barely containing herself, his words not helping. Her laughing had started to set me off too.

"I know Kili, Freud was just a gross, old, crazy man from years ago." I patted him on the shoulder "No one actually thinks it's true I promise"

"This world is weird" he mumbled under his breath, face still red.

I was inclined to agree.


	7. He could be the one

Fili (Ered Luin- Middle Earth)

It was still raining but he no longer felt it. He just felt cold and empty. It was as if someone had plunged a knife deep into his gut and twisted. Wrenching his soul apart. Fili trudged heavily through the sinking mud. His brother's blood covered bow clenched in a white knuckle grip. He couldn't think, it was like he was untethered and lost. A sob tore its way out of his throat. He'd searched for hours but he found no sign of Kili.

It was dark now and the clouds formed a blanket, ready to suffocate him. As the entrance to the mountain came into sight Fili was surrounded by dwarves. They all spoke at once. A cacophony of voices. Fili couldn't hear them or distinguish them. He stood there pale as a ghost and covered in blood. The dwarves quickly bundled him inside. Fili didn't pay attention to where they were taking him. Simply moved his feet one in front of the other.

Before he knew it he had been guided to the royal chambers. When he realised where he was his heart started racing and his breathing quickened. Oh Mahal, he couldn't tell Amad. It would break her.

He was guided into a room by who he could now see was Dwalin. Dwalin's hand was tight on his shoulder and he tried to use that to anchor himself to the here and now. Fili was guided into his front room. A fire roared in the hearth. Throwing long shadows across the floor. Thorin was stood in front of it. It was clear he had been pacing.

"What happened?" Thorin asked, his usual stoic expression breaking.

Dis, who had been behind Thorin, then pushed her way passed and ran to embrace Fili.

"Oh Fili you had me worried sick" Dis then looked up at Fili, noticing the specks of blood on his face.

Her eyes went wide and she reached up a hand to Fili's face "What happened?" then she looked around and suddenly became more panicked "Where's your brother?"

Fili shattered at her words. Sobs wracked his body and tears streamed down his face "Amad" his voice cracked. He reached for her and held on as if she was the only thing stopping him from being washed away.

Thorin was there then, his strong voice grounding Fili. "Fili, tell us what happened"

And he did.

Dis collapsed to the ground. Her cries sounded as if she had a hand wrapped around her throat. A strangled noise; as if she could barely breathe.

Thorin sprung into action immediately. Ordering dwarves around, organising search parties. Fili could no longer hear what was going on around him. The roaring of blood in his ears was too loud. It was as if he was below water. Was he drowning?

oOo

With each passing day the hope of finding Kili dwindled. After that first night Fili became more resolved. He refused to feel the insurmountable pain he felt inside. Pushing it down until he could function normally again. He would find his brother. Kili hadn't been found dead or alive. So there was still hope, no matter how small it was, that he was there somewhere. And he couldn't find his brother if he let the pain swallow him up.

Thorin had sent patrols out to scout the area where Kili fell. No other wargs or orcs had been seen. So the one on the cliff had been a lone warg. Fili joined as many patrols as his uncle would allow him. He'd scream until his voice went hoarse. But still there was no sign of his brother.

The rain had eased off after the first couple of days. However, because of those downpours all traces of anything seemed to have washed away. No footprints or tracks. There didn't seem to be anything other than the body of the warg. It was taken away and burned after that first day. There should have been something though. That was what was driving Fili insane. After a fall like that Kili shouldn't have been able to get up for some time. And if he did manage to, why did he disappear? Why not seek Fili out? Something wasn't right.

Today had yielded the same results as all the others. When he arrived back home he pushed the door open and swung his sword off his back with a grunt. He placed it on a rack by the door before continuing into the rooms. His room was right next to Kili's. As he went to walk past he saw that the door to Kili's bedroom was ajar. Fili tried to peer through the gap but couldn't see enough. Gently he pushed the door. It revealed his Amad, curled up on Kili's bed. One of Kili's shirts was clutched in her hands, tight to her chest. She must have fallen asleep at some point.

Fili didn't have the heart to wake her up. He did however take one of Kili's blankets and drape it around her. Hopefully, it would keep the chill off of her while she slept. It could get quite cold inside a mountain.

Silently, Fili exited the room. Closing the door softly behind him. He was about to proceed to his own room when he heard a noise from the front room. Upon investigating he saw that it was his Uncle. He had his hands clasped behind his back.

"Any news?" Fili asked, hopefully.

Thorin shook his head a somber look in his eyes "No, not yet. But that's not why I'm here"

Fili raised his eyebrows, confused.

Thorin took a deep breath to steady himself and then levelled his gaze at Fili. "It's about the quest"

Fili's pulse jumped and his stomach clenched. He had a bad feeling about this.

"With everything that has happened" Thorin continued "I can't allow you to join the company"

Fili felt sick. He couldn't do that. He had to go. Did Thorin think he wasn't competent enough? Because he wasn't fast enough to Kill that warg?... Because he wasn't fast enough to save Kili?

Maybe he wasn't worthy enough to go.

Could he protect a whole company if he couldn't protect his baby brother?

"But Uncle" Fili started.

"No!" Thorin shouted, then he took a deep breath and his stoic demeanor returned "No Fili, this is for your Amad's sake. She couldn't handle losing anybody else right now. If you left for the quest it could really hurt her"

His tone left no room for argument. Fili was not going on the quest for Erebor.

Leah (England-Earth)

Several weeks flew by and Kili was getting more acclimated to life on Earth. After the sixth week Kili finally got to have his cast off. Which he was immensely grateful for. Apparently it had begun to itch like nobody's business and Kili had threatened to cut his own arm off. A bit dramatic if you ask me. Kili was terrified by the saw but managed to make it through until the cast was completely off. He was incredibly happy to be able to move both of his arms freely once again.

I had introduced him to many different foods. Pizza seemed to be the biggest hit so far. I think the combo of cheese, bread and meat really sold it for him. He tried other foods too. Some more of a success than others. As a household we tended to forgo meat a few days a week. It's supposed to be healthier that way. Much to Kili's chagrin. Kili hadn't been a fan of some of the vegetarian meals we had made for him. He kept insisting that they weren't real food. I did manage to get him to eat some of the meals though. Forgetting to inform him of the lack of meat seemed to do the trick quite nicely.

Kili did like helping out with the cooking. Which I was quite happy about. Also surprised. I didn't expect a prince to want to help out with preparing food. When I asked him about it he told me that his Amad never actually treated them like royalty and that he and his brother would get chores to do. His would more often than not be peeling vegetables. Apparently it was better than cleaning; which he made Fili do.

We decided to go for a little picnic at the park one day. The weather was nice and Anika really wanted to leave her uni accomodation for the day. All of us were supposed to bring some food with us. I decided I would make scotch eggs.

Kili was next to me in the kitchen. Offering his services. I had just finished boiling the eggs and they were ready to be peeled.

"How good are you at peeling egg?" I said, offering him a boiled egg.

He placed his hand over his heart "I am an expert egg peeler" he said very self-assuredly.

He took the egg from me and began to peel. Not at all well. The poor egg was very smushed.

"Dude I thought you said you were good at this," I said, a laugh creeping into my voice.

"I normally am. You must have different eggs here, that's all" Said Kili, raising his nose in the air.

"Suure" I said, sarcastically.

I peeled the rest of them to avoid an egg armageddon. Kili was better at wrapping the eggs in sausage at least. Following my instructions. I scotched those eggs with the mastery of someone who had done this dozens of times yet still managed to make a fucking mess. The amount of washing we had to do afterwards was tear-inducing.

We had the picnic in a little park near my house. Quite a few other people had similar ideas. Eventually we found a good space near a tree. Kili was very eager to try the scotch eggs. I wouldn't let him try one until we actually got here. Much to his disappointment.

We had barely sat down and Kili was giving me puppy dog eyes.

"Fiine" I sighed, reaching into my back and drawing out the box full of scotch eggs "Here you go"

Kili gave me an exulted grin and dove in. He shoved as much in his mouth as possible before finally chewing. His face became an image of bliss and he sighed.

"Is it good? Is that a good sigh?" I asked.

He didn't even give himself a chance to speak, simply giving me a thumbs up and diving in to the rest of it. I'll take that as a good sign.

"These are my new favourite thing" he said, mouth still full.

"I'm glad you like it" I said, biting into one of my own.

Anika had brought a lot of fruit with her. Apparently the fruit and veg market was having a big sale and she couldn't resist. I didn't mind though, I was happy enough munching on pineapple slices. Kili was enjoying them too. He was cheerfully eating his own pineapple slices when Anika decided to drop a bombshell.

"Hey Geri," Anika piped up. The tone of her voice suggesting she was up to no good. "Did you know that pineapples are one of the only fruits that eats you back?" Her face gleeful as she popped another slice in her mouth.

"Oh don't tell him that" I said, giving her a shove.

Kili froze, eyes wide, he still had a mouth still full of pineapple. "Wha"

"Yeah that's why your tongue is sore after eating them," I tried to cover her mouth before she could finish her sentence but you could still hear the muffled "it's trying to dissolve your tongue"

The damage was done and Kili looked mortified. He spat out the pineapple currently in his mouth and reached for a bottle of water in front of him. "I'm not dying am I?"

"No you're not Kili" I reassured him, giving Anika another shove as she laughed behind her hand. "Anika's just being an arsehole"

"So it isn't true" Kili said, hopeful.

Ah. How do I explain this in a way that won't make him terrified of pineapple?

"Well technically it's true," I admitted, "But you're body is strong enough to fight it off, it's more of a you eat it before it eats you kind of situation"

Oh god that explanation didn't help at all. Kili surreptitiously moved the tub of pineapple further away from him. Distancing himself from the offending fruit.

"I think I'll just stick to apples" he mumbled.

oOo

Over time as Kili's wounds healed he started to train with his sword. Being unable to for so long he was scared that he would be out of practice. Mum had caught him in the garden once when his cast was still on and his stitches hadn't quite healed. She chastised him pretty hard and told him he wasn't allowed to train until he was fully healed. Kili hadn't been best pleased.

Now he was fully healed he was free to swing his sword around with reckless abandon if he so pleased. That's what he was doing in that moment. I was in my room talking to Anika on the phone and I could see him in the garden below. I may have been staring. It was mesmerising to watch.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Anika's voice came through my phone.

"Hmm, what?" I mumbled, still looking out of the window.

"I said, I'm gonna come round tonight with mum and dad while they do their wine night"

Anika's parents were coming around later on tonight to hang out with mum. Evidently Anika was too.

"Oh right yeah that sounds good" I said.

Kili seemed to be winding down now. His swings becoming slower and less powerful.

"I might bring something and we can do our own wine night, only sans wine because its nasty" she said.

I hummed agreement and I reached for the mug of tea resting on my window sill. I only managed a few sips before I nearly choked on the liquid. Kili had stopped his training now. HIs sword now rested on the ground. Sweat clung to his body. He then decided that it was the perfect moment to take his shirt off.

I felt my mouth go dry and my face heated at the sight. God damn, that should be illegal. I was suddenly hyper-aware of the dwarf in front of me. He was barrel chested with defined muscles. There was a good amount of hair dusting his chest and arms. My heartbeat quickened. Apparently I'm quite a fan of chest hair. He also had a trail of hair that led down to. No. No. Not gonna think about that.

I turned away from the window, hand rubbing down my face. Purer thoughts, I needed some purer thoughts.

"Holy shit" I whispered "That shouldn't be allowed"

"What, what happened?" said Anika, sounding intrigued.

"There is a shirtless dwarf in my garden" I said, insistently.

I peeked back outside and saw that he was still there. He had started to wipe the sweat off his body with the shirt. This was getting obscene.

"Holy shit, Is he fit?"

"Let's just say I'm struggling to look directly at him," I said.

"Arr, you should send me a picture" Anika said.

"No, you perv I'm not sending you a picture" I said, turning away from the window.

"How am I the perv when you're ogling him from your window" she laughed.

"I'm not ogling" I whispered forcefully.

I was merely looking out of my window. Enjoying the view. It's not my fault that a half naked dwarf happened to be outside. I turned back towards the window and peered down. Kili had now stopped and was looking upwards towards my window. I made a high pitched squealing noise and dropped to my knees. Oh shit did he see me. Why am I so embarrassing?

I reached up on my knees, slowly, so that only my eyes and nose were visible through the window. Cautiously, I glanced out of the window. Kili had indeed seen me. The boy had a wide grin on his face and was waving at me.

Surrendering to my embarrassment I waved back.

oOo

Steve, Katherine and Anika came around later that day. I had mostly gotten over my embarrassment. Even with Kili occasionally smirking at me. The smug dwarf.

Mum greeted everyone at the door with a hug before moving into the living room. There was soft music playing in the background. Steve was a middle aged man with tanned skin. He was bald but still had a full face of stubble. A pair of thick framed glasses rested on his nose. Katherine was only a little bit taller than me. Her hair was a deep brown and swept down her back. She was reasonably curvy and gave the best hugs. Mum-shaped, as Anika would say.

"I brought a Rosé for Katherine and some real wine for us," said Steve, holding up two bottles of wine. His smooth American twang was very relaxing to listen to.

"Oh shut up you, not all of us are big wine drinkers. Some have to dilute it with lemonade" Said Katherine, taking a seat on the settee.

Steve gasped, hand over his chest "What you drink is sprite, I will not have you blaspheme about real lemonade this way"

Katherine simply laughed and made herself more comfy on the chair. Anika then came up next to me and rested an elbow against my shoulder. She angled a bottle towards me.

"I brought some pink gin and a few ciders because I have taste," said Anika.

"I heard that" emanated from the kitchen door where Steve had just gone through.

We decided to chill upstairs for a bit to give the parents some time for themselves. It was supposed to be their wine night after all not ours. Kili tried some gin but then admitted that he didn't really like it. The ciders went down well though. We mainly just sat in my room with a few drinks. Music played in the background. It was Anika's choice at the moment. For some reason she decided that now was the perfect time to teach Kili how to floss.

"When you stick your arms out like this" she demonstrated with her own "You also move your hips in the other direction".

Kili was concentrating very hard. Trying to figure out which way he was supposed to move. He was currently struggling with syncing up his arms with his hips. I was sat crossed legged on the floor, giggling at the whole affair. Sometimes I would give advice about where his arms should go. After a little while the guy was a pro. Flossing with the best of them.

Anika and I slowly got more tipsy while Kili remained annoyingly sober. All of us had ended up sitting crossed legged in a circle on my floor. We were cracking up at the smallest things. At some point we had decided to quote obscure videos at each other. Much to Kili's confusion.

"You want to bloody chug-a-lug a $30 bottle of wine" I said in a very slurred, very bad australian accent.

"It's about respect, you've got to respect the wine" Anika replied in an equally bad accent. Moving her glass around haphazardly, the liquid just about staying in the glass.

Kili looked between us, his eyebrows drew together. "I thought you were drinking gin, why are you talking about wine?"

Reaching up towards him, I slowly stroked my hand down his face. Nearly poking him in the eye. "Shhhhh, don't worry about it".

My hand lingered a bit too long on his lips. They were very soft. Just as I realised this, Kili had gently grabbed my wrist and removed my hand from his face.

"Thanks for that" he grinned.

My wrist was still in his hand. His thumb rubbed against my pulse point sending what felt like small electric shocks down my arm. I beamed back at him, his smile was infectious. I could feel a slight pink tinge to my cheeks.

That's when the song changed and Anika began to freak out.

"Holy Shit! I haven't heard this in years" she said, clambering to her feet and dragging me up with her. Kili dropped my hand as I stood up.

We started to sing along, interspersed with some terrible dance moves

_Smooth talkin', so rockin'_

_He's got everything that a girl's wantin'_

_He's a cutie, he plays it groovy_

_And I can't keep myself from doin' somethin' stupid_

_Think I'm really fallin' for his smile_

_Yeah, butterflies when he says my name_

_Hey!_

I looked to Kili, his smile was huge. It sent me butterflies of my own. He was still sat down with a bottle of cider in his hand. I reached my hand down towards him, wanting him to join in. He waited a second before grabbing my hand and standing up. We were nearly nose to nose. His eyes were a warm brown, looking straight at me. I felt my breath catch. Then he moved away and joined in the dancing.

_He's got somethin' special_

_He's got somethin' special_

_And when he's lookin' at me_

_I wanna get all sentimental_

_He's got somethin' special_

_He's got somethin' special_

_I can hardly breathe somethin's tellin' me_

_Tellin' me maybe he could be the one_

Once the song finished we were all out of breath. We all plonked back down onto the floor. Laughing to ourselves. Anika reached for her drink and realised it was empty.

"Time for a refill, me thinks," she said and made to get up.

Good idea. We all decided to head back down stairs with her. Anika and I being a bit too giggly on the stairs. When we reached the bottom we could hear the conversation in the living room.

"I thought this was a book club anyway, I thought we were cultured" That was Steve.

We reached the bottom then and turned the corner. Katherine snorted "Cultured, this has always been an excuse to drink wine and you know it"

Mum was on the settee parallel to the kitchen, a pleasant smile on her face. "No no Kath let's hear him out" said Mum, taking a sip of wine "So what books have you read recently Steve"

Steve seemed to go shy then and he took a big drink "debastyio o baaa" his voice muffled by the drink.

"What was that?" Katherine laughed.

Steve took a big sigh "It was The Devastation of Baal… It's Warhammer" he added when he got blank looks.

"I thought you said you were cultured" said Katherine.

Steve gasped, hand covering his chest "I am" he said with dignity "Let me tell you about Dante and the Blood angels and maybe you'll understand"

He took another big sip of wine "He saw the sanguinor Katherine it was very moving. You had to be there".

They saw us then making our way to the kitchen. Steve gave us a little nod, Mum and Katherine said hi.

Kili was in front of us and he leaned down towards my mum. "These two can't hold their liquor very well, I think they need some water"

I gasped "Traitor".

Mum looked to me then back up to Kili "Water is probably a good idea"

"Hey I think Anika said something about you, it's Jerry right?" said Steve.

For god sake Anika. I slapped her around the shoulder but she just laughed.

"No that's just the nickname Anika gave him, his actual name is Kili...Short for Killian" I said remembering the fake name we gave him.

"Killian, that's a strong name" he said, nodding his head.

"Kili is staying with us while he finds his feet" said Mum "He hasn't got any family here, so we're helping him"

Steve and Katherine considered this for a second. I hope they didn't start picking holes in our explanation. Our fake story wasn't exactly watertight.

Steve smiled "Don't be saying that around this one" he pointed to Katherine "She'll start trying to adopt you"

Katherine swatted his hand away "Ignore him, he thinks he's being funny".

Anika and her parents stayed for a little bit longer before deciding to call it a night. Thankfully they only lived around the corner so they were walking home. As we were hugging everyone goodbye- even Kili got hugs- Steve invited us all to dinner at their house next week. They were doing a Korean night for Kyo and the more the merrier apparently. We said we would go.

oOo

The week went by very fast. Before we knew it, it was the day of the dinner at Anika's house. Mum unfortunately had to work tonight. There was an event that she had to oversee. That left just me and Kili to go to the meal. I decided to dress up a little bit. Even though it was only Anika's house and I'd been there a million times. If you have an excuse, why not flaunt it?

The outfit ended up consisting of a baby pink top covered in butterflies, a corduroy skirt in a slightly different shade of pink and to top it all off a pink jacket. I called it the pink monstrosity.

When I came down the stairs I saw Kili sat down. He was wearing the blue hawaiaan shirt and the blue trousers with the flowers on. It seemed the pink monstrosity had a new adversary. The blue monstrosity has stepped into the ring.

I spread my arms wide to show off my outfit. Doing a little spin to get the full effect. "Hey Kili, guess what my favourite colour is"

Kili looked at me and raised an eyebrow "I know you want me to say pink but I know for a fact you've already told me that it's blue"

"Arrr you ruined my joke" I said, fake sulking.

Kili just laughed at me.

We were walking to Anika's house. When we left the house Kili stopped. He extended his elbow towards me. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"May I escort the Lady to her dinner?" said Kili, his voice sounding more posh.

I gave him a look before slipping my arm through his "You may" I said in an equally posh voice.

So we walked to Anika's house like that. Arms linked together. Anika was the one who answered the door and she raised her eyebrows at us.

"Jesus Christ, what are you guys wearing?" she asked.

She should speak for herself though. She was wearing a yellow jumper tucked into a yellow skirt.

"Evidently we all decided that monochrome was the best choice today" I said, pointing to each of our clothes "We could make a rainbow"

"Pink isn't in the rainbow" Anika laughed.

"Well it is in mine" I said, walking into her house.

I could hear the ruckus already. Having such a big family did not make for a quiet home. It did make for a fun one though. I grinned to myself as I saw everyone in the living room. At least four kids and two adults were playing on the floor.

There was Rosie, who was 7. She had very curly hair that was bright red. A smattering of freckles on her face. Originally she had been a foster child but had been adopted by Steve and Katherine afterwards. Then there was Layla, she was 5. Her hair was a mousy brown and currently in pigtails. She was a grandchild. Next was baby Leo, also a grandchild. He was nearly 2. Lastly there was Arjun, he was 4. He had dark brown hair that matched his skin tone. Arjun was the newest foster child.

Steve was currently lying on the floor with Leo in his hands. Lifting him up into the air to make him laugh. Rosie and Layla had also started to dive on him. Sarah, Steve's second oldest, was on the floor too. Trying to wrangle the kids up. Arjun was in his own corner. Happily playing with his blocks. He was deeply focused on putting all of his blocks into lines.

There were many adults dotted around the settees as well. I could see Isaiah with his boyfriend sitting close together, hands joined. Oh I wonder how Sean's introduction to the family went I had forgotten to ask. Then again a lot of things happened during that time, you couldn't really blame me too much. I assume it went well if he's still here. Lewis and his wife were there too. Lewis was the eldest of Anika's siblings and father to Layla.

I waved as I walked in and everyone greeted me back. Steve was still getting attacked by children when someone called for him from the kitchen.

"Ah my services are required," he said, placing Leo back down. His little lip started quivering as his grandad had to leave.

"Don't be sad, Leo. Your Mom is behind you, you can play with her" Steve pointed to Sarah.

Leo looked to his Mum but didn't stop looking sad. "I'm telling you he never wants me" said Sarah. Then she crept forwards and tickled Leo "You never want mummy do you"

Leo started laughing then and Steve took that as his cue to leave. Rosie got up off of the floor and made her way over to me. I was then left a little winded as she charged at me to give me a hug.

"Look how tall I'm getting" said Rosie "I'm nearly as big as you"

"Yeah that's not hard Rosie" said Anika, patting my head.

Rosie then noticed Kili and became a little shy. She gave him a small wave and said hi.

"This is Kili" I explained. "He's a friend"

"Hi Kili!" exclaimed Rosie, suddenly excited again.

Kili waved back with equal enthusiasm. At the same time I saw Anika sneak up to baby Leo. She got up behind him without him realising and then she picked him up very fast. The sudden motion made him laugh. Anika then made her way over to us.

"Hey kidder" I said, poking his little cheeks. Babies man, they were the cutest things ever.

Leo looked from me to Kili. Then levelled a tiny hand at Kili. "Eh da?"

"Who's that?" Anika asked.

Leo replied with the same noises. "That's Kili. Can you say Kili?"

"Keewi" he said in the cutest voice imaginable.

Then Leo started to lean out of Anika's arms. Reaching towards Kili. Clear that he now wanted to be held by the dwarf instead. Kili opened his arms and picked up the baby. Leo stared into his soul in the way only a baby can. Then a big toothy grin spread across his face.

"Well aren't you a cute little pebble" said Kili, smiling back.

My heart sung. I don't know what it is but men being good with babies did something to me. Well a dwarf in this case.

"That's it now Kili, you're not gonna be able to get rid of him," said Sarah, from the floor.

That turned out to be true. Leo refused to leave Kili's lap and Kili had to sit on the floor with him. This caused the other children to migrate towards him. Something about Kili seemed to attract small children towards him. Rosie and Layla kept asking him random questions like "what's your favourite number?" Even Arjun came over and handed Kili one of his blocks.

Soon the food was done and everyone piled into the dining room. There was quite a large table so that everyone could fit around it. Leo was sad that he had to leave Kili but was soon placacted when he had food.

The kids who were a bit fussy were going to have sandwiches instead. Katherine was next to Arjun asking what filling he wanted.

"Do you want chicken?" she mimed a chicken's beak with her finger and thumb next to her face "Or cheese?" she lay one hand flat, palm up, and the other hand pointed down onto it. sort of like an upside down 'T'.

Arjun replied by spreading his hand wide and moving it under his chin from right to left.

"No you're not having any fruit yet, that can be after your dinner" she said. Her hands forming signs at the same time.

Arjun was non verbal meaning that he doesn't speak. He can still hear perfectly fine but he used Makaton and BSL to speak mostly. Anika had taught me a few signs so I could understand him a little better.

Steve then came into the dining room, arms ladled with bowls. Kyo was in tow, carrying things as well. She was 15 and was originally born in South Korea. That's why they were doing a Korean food night, so she didn't lose touch with her culture. She had sleek black hair that was currently tied in a high ponytail.

"Right so we have some bulgogi and rice," he said placing the plates down into the middle of the table "And some Tteokbokki"

"That pronunciation was terrible" Kyo laughed "It's more of a 'P' sound in the middle anyway"

Steve looked confused "Then why is there a 'B' in there"

Kyo just shrugged. Then she seemed to remember something "Oh there are two different Tteokbokki" she said, pronouncing it correctly "Steve put too much gochugaru in one so it may be too spicy"

"I'm a tough guy I can handle it" said Steve.

Turns out he wasn't as tough as he thought he was. He ended up being quite red faced and had to make a dash to the fridge for milk. Apparently he "overestimated his power". Kili wasn't too bad with the spice. Though he didn't try the really hot one. He told me that merchants would sometimes journey from the East bringing spices. So it wasn't an entirely new flavour.

oOo

After we were done eating Anika invited us to chill in her room. She shared it with Kyo but Kyo didn't mind. They only have to share the room when Anika is back from uni usually. When we got to the room I saw him. The one. The Floof. The legend.

"Archimedes!" I gushed, rushing over to the fluffiest cat ever.

He was black and white, stretching across Anika's bed. He was probably hiding from the masses downstairs. I ran my hands through his soft fur. A loud purr emanating from his body.

"Look at you, Mr. Handsome. My beautiful shnookums" I jabbered into the cat's face.

"You never talk to me like that," said Kili, an amused grin on his face.

I told him to shush and carried on mauling the cat.

We all ended up either perched on a bed or sitting on the floor. I was sitting on the floor with Archimedes on my lap. Kyo was asking questions about Kili and we answered them to the best of our ability.

"So do you have any siblings?" Kyo asked.

Kili smiled though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He must miss his brother a lot. "Yes I have a brother"

"His name is Phillip" I said, coming up with something on the spot "Fili for short"

That made Kili laugh "Yes, Fili for short".

Anika was leaning over the side of her bed. When she got back upright she had a large shiny bag in her hands.

"I think we should do some make-overs" she exclaimed gleefully.

"Are you 12?"I asked, smirking.

She flipped me off and told me to shut up "Now get over here and put some glittery eyeshadow on your face."

So a make-over then proceeded. We were eventually joined by an excitable Rosie and Layla. Also wanting make-up done. Kili wasn't exempt either. I don't think the poor boy had much chance to escape. He was allowed to choose the colours at least. Kyo was currently brushing his face with some type of powder while Anika was painting his nails.

He was looking a bit flustered with all the attention. I was putting some eyeshadow on Rosie when he coughed pointedly.

"I've never actually had this many girls pay attention to me before," he confessed.

"Seriously" said Anika in an astonished tone.

"Err yeah, where I'm from I'm not considered very good looking so I don't get much female attention" said Kili, with a nervous laugh.

That shocked me. How could someone as good looking as Kili ever be considered unattractive? Those dwarrowdams don't know what they're missing out on.

Everyone else also seemed shocked. "I think the people you've been hanging out with are blind" said Anika.

"Yeah you're pretty" said Kyo as she swept make up across Kili's cheek bones.

"Do you think Kili is pretty, Rosie?" I asked

She nodded eagerly and smiled at Kili. The poor boy had gone bright red at all the attention.

"See" I said knocking his shoulder with mine "Everyone here thinks you are good looking"

"Oh everyone does do they?" he said looking pointedly at me.

My cheeks heated up a little. "Yes" I said quickly avoiding eye contact.

It wasn't long until all our make-up was completed. Kili kept blinking and trying to rub his eyes. Anika kept slapping his hand away so he didn't ruin it. Everyone had to get in on the honorary selfie. After we were finished it was time to head home. Kili escorted me once again and we made it home in no time.

I gave Kili some face wipes to get rid of the make-up. It definitely wasn't his thing. I'm happy that he tried it at least. He had started to take off the make-up with the wipes but he was struggling.

"Here" I said, reaching for the wipes "Let me help"

I took one of the wipes and began moving it around his face, over his eyes, his mouth. He was looking at me the whole time a smile on his face. My face heated under his intense gaze but I persevered. He was so close we were almost chest to chest. It made my heart rate pick up and my stomach felt like a butterfly sanctuary.

"So is it true then?" I asked "Are you not considered attractive by dwarf standards"

He sighed "Pretty much. Most dams seem to prefer dwarves that are shorter and bulkier. Beards are also a big part of it"

"You're beards coming in more these days" I said, poking his chin.

It was true. Apparently beard oil can do something. His beard was definitely thicker and longer than it had been.

Kili reached up and grabbed my hand and smiled at me "I guess you're right".

_If you want to know what the video was they were quoting it's 'Haven't you done well 6 by Aunty Donna' He could be the one- Hannah Montana_


	8. Grab me by my ankles

Uni became very stressful. With it nearing the end of the year I had a million deadlines and exams to prepare for. I was hardly ever at home during this time. If I wasn't at a lecture I was in the library. Even though I did have a laptop at home, I had never been able to actually write essays there. I would just get distracted and never finish it. It didn't help that there was currently the biggest distraction ever staying at my house. Whenever Kili was around I couldn't concentrate on my work. He would see how stressed I was and try to make me smile instead. It helped me feel better but it didn't help the work get done.

Slowly the work managed to get done. It soon came to my last exam, the one I had been dreading the most. It was my developmental psychology module and I despised it with every fibre of my being. Well that was probably a little harsh but in that moment I despised it wholeheartedly. The content was boring and the lecturer was a pretentious knob. He was the kind of person that says "I only give firsts to people who teach me something new". Like this is your area of expertise, you douche canoe, how am I supposed to teach you anything? As you could probably tell there were a few hard feelings towards the subject.

On the day of the exam I was sat at my dining room table. There was revision notes strewn across the whole surface. My head was on the table, hiding my face from the world. If I got up I would have to face the day and my exam. I would have to eventually but for now I chose to hide.

Mum came up behind me and rubbed my back.

"Come on Leah, we both know that you're gonna do great. You stress like this every year and you still manage to get good grades" she said comfortingly.

"Maybe this is my process" I said, my voice muffled by the table "This is how I deal with exams"

Mum lifted some of my hair up and put it behind my ear. Now she could see my face. "It's not healthy though, you're going to make yourself sick darling"

I looked up at her with a sad pout "I'm not made for this world Mum" I said "Education will be the death of me"

I returned my head to the table. Accidently banging my forehead. Ow. After a few seconds I heard a concerned voice to my right

"Are you okay?"

It was Kili's voice. I straightened up and flicked the hair out of my eyes. He had a worried expression on his face.

"Never better" I said in a fake happy voice.

"You don't seem it" he said, sitting down next to me. He moved a few pieces of notes so he had some space in front of him.

Mum leaned down next to Kili and informed him about my impending exam. He nodded in understanding.

"I'm sure you'll be brilliant Leah" he said putting a hand on my shoulder.

I simply pulled my face, not believing him. Kili laughed and poked my cheek.

"Don't make that face" he said "You know I'm not lying."

I swatted his hand away but it made me smile nonetheless. Next thing I knew Kili's face lit up as if he had an idea. He reached across the table and picked up a stray pen. Then he grabbed my right arm and rolled up the sleeve of my cardigan.

"What are you doing?" I asked

The scars from the warg were there, slightly raised against the rest of the skin. Kili ran his finger down one when he saw them. Looking deep in thought. It sent shivers up my arm. Then he flipped my arm over to show the underside, where there wasn't any scarring. Kili then took the pen and began to write something on my arm. The pen strokes tickled slightly but it felt nice.

Once he was done he moved his hands away. I looked down to try and read what he had written. It wasn't english though. Kili had written some kind of runes on my arm. Probably Khuzdul.

"Masul gabil khayum ai-mênu" he said, his voice slightly rougher from the Khuzdul.

Oh my god. He should definitely speak in Khuzdul more often. The huskier tone of his voice was very satisfying to listen to.

"What does it mean?" I asked, my finger hovering over the writing.

"It means 'good luck and may victory be upon you'" he said "It's sort of like a good luck charm".

My heart soared. I cannot handle this boy.

"Aww Kili I don't know what to say" why did I feel like I was choking up?

"It's supposed to help you. With your exam" he said, suddenly a bit shy.

Without warning him I wrapped my arms around him. Attacking him with a hug. I buried my head in his shoulder and muffled a thank you. Kili seemed shocked for a second but then returned the hug in kind. One hand was around my back and the other one was in my hair. It felt so right being in his arms. Like home.

After a few moments I realised that I was probably being weird and backed away.

"Sorry, I just attacked you" I mumbled.

"You can attack me anytime Leah" He winked.

Obviously I had to cover my arm up when I went into the exam hall. If any of the invigilators saw it they would probably accuse me of cheating. So I kept my cardigan sleeves rolled down. Though I did touch it. When I would forget something I would reach over and trace my hand over the words. It helped me calm down and I would be able to carry on with the exam.

oOo

Soon my second year of university came to a close. There would be three months of respite before I had to return there. Third year probably wouldn't be fun at all. I pushed it into the back of my mind and refused to think about it.

With my term coming to an end so did everyone else's. Anika moved back home for the summer and my other friends from college moved back too. Most of my other friends had moved away to different universities. We kept in contact via group chats but we hadn't seen each other in a while. They decided that we should all meet up together and catch up. We were just going to go to the local pub and have a few drinks. Nothing too big.

Even though it was supposed to be a friends reunion, I wanted Kili to come too. I'm sure my friends wouldn't mind too much. Decision made I walked over to Kili's bedroom. The door was slightly ajar and I pushed it open to reveal the room. Kili was at a desk looking very focused on what he was doing. Some swaths of leather were in front of him. He had been very excited about buying them when we went into a craft store one time. Apparently he was quite good at leather work.

I knocked on the open door when it looked like he hadn't heard me. Kili spun around quickly, his eyes widening when he saw me. He then proceeded to hurriedly push things away from him. As if he got caught doing something he shouldn't. Then he leaned his elbow against the desk and rested his chin on it.

"That wasn't suspicious at all," I said sarcastically.

"I'm not suspicious, who said anything about suspicious?" he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him but decided not to push him more. I'm sure at some point he'll tell me what he's up to.

"A group of my old college friends wanted to meet up tonight" I said, hand tracing the patterns on the door frame.

"Would you like to come with me?" I asked, turning back to face him

Kili didn't take long to reply "Of course I would" he said with a smile.

So Kili tagged along with me. I helped him choose something less conspicuous to wear. A blue, button up shirt and his one pair of black trousers. He raised an eyebrow at me when I told him to tuck the shirt in and roll the sleeves up.

"Just do it" I urged.

Kili didn't make a move to do anything "Why would I need to do that?"

I reached for one of his arms and started to roll the sleeves up myself. Do I have to do everything around here? KIli just let me do my thing. I rolled both sleeves up so that they were semi neat.

"I'm not tucking your shirt in for you" I said, levelling a look at him.

Kili merely smirked "Why not? you've done everything else"

I told him to shut up and eventually he reluctantly followed my instructions. Mumbling about how he couldn't see how it would make a difference. When he was finished he spread his arms out so I could see the whole look.

"Happy now" he said.

Holy Fuck. The shirt was molded to his body perfectly. With it tucked in you could see just how muscular he was. I don't know why but rolling the sleeves up just made the look even better. This dwarf was too attractive for his own good.

After a while I realised that I had been staring and that I hadn't actually replied to him. When I looked back up to him he had the biggest grin on his face.

"It's adequate" I mumbled, looking away.

oOo

We arrived at the pub a little after 7. Most of my friends were already there. They'd managed to snatch the big table in the corner. I sat down next to Anika and Kili sat down next to me. Kili sat very close. Almost shoulder to shoulder. You couldn't really blame him, he was surrounded by a bunch of people he didn't know. I did feel better about inviting Kili along when I saw that Jane had invited her boyfriend Collin.

Once everyone arrived we got a round of drinks in. Anika and I ended up with cocktail pitchers. They were tasty and they had like 3 drinks worth of liquid in. Win win if you ask me. Kili tried some beer but by the look on his face it wasn't a good choice. He mumbled something about this world having awful taste in ale. I gave him some of my cocktail to shut him up. The beer may be bad but a purple rain never will.

My friends took to Kili quite well, which made me happy. When he would occasionally say something that didn't quite make sense most of them just rolled with it. It's not as if our friend group never said anything that didn't make sense. Speaking of, Francis was currently talking about something weird.

"Right guys, concept" he had his hands up in the air to cement his point "An ice cream van where the song only plays when it's travelling over 30 miles per hour".

"What so like when it's speeding down a road everyone can hear but then it's already gone?" Said Josh, eyebrows raised.

"Exactly" said Francis, a stupid grin on his face.

I decided to add my own input "Danger cream"

Everyone started laughing but Josh put his head in his hands.

"Please for the love of god never say that again," he said from his hands.

"Hey you can't censor her" Anika said, having my back.

"Yeah you can't censor me" I laughed.

Kili gave me a confused look and it made me laugh more. I patted his arm and told him not to worry about it. Looking down, I realised that my drink was empty. I leaned down towards Kili and asked him if he wanted to share the next one. He agreed wholeheartedly, not wanting to chance another beer.

Everyone else still had some drinks left so I went to get up on my own. It wouldn't take long anyway. Getting up from my chair I made my way over to the bar. Just as I was about to approach a bartender I felt a tight grip on my arm and I was yanked to the side. A hand was squeezing my upper arm. Panic sprung up. My heart beat rising furiously. I struggled trying to wrench myself out of the grip but without successful. When I saw who was holding me I stopped moving.

"Ethan?" I asked, shakily

He towered over me, with him being over 6ft tall. His hair was a dirty blonde and he was quite gangly. Even so he had a surprising strength. His grip had started to hurt.

He was my ex boyfriend. One that I would prefer to forget existed. Originally he was part of our friend group. He was funny and kind. At least I thought he was. As soon as we started going out he started to show his true colours. I finally realised what kind of person he was when he got angry at me for refusing to sleep with him. Apparently because we were dating I was obliged to lose my virginity to him. Ethan disgusted me. And I hate to admit it but I was also a bit scared of him.

"Let go of me" I hissed through my teeth, trying to yank my arm away from him.

He finally let me go. Raising both hands up in a very sarcastic 'I didn't do anything wrong' kind of way. "I was only saying hello Leah" his voice was slurred.

He was drunk. You could tell by his slurred words and the way he was swaying slightly. It wasn't even 8 o'clock yet what the fuck.

"I saw you with that… guy" he said "You were all cosying up together"

Obviously he meant Kili. Ethan already knew everyone else at the table ad Kili was the person I was sat closest to. I looked around trying to catch the eye of anyone. No one was really looking. From this angle you couldn't see my table either. I felt sick, I just wanted to get away. Surreptitiously, I started to back away from him. That seemed to make him angry and he stormed forward. Until he leered over me and grabbed both my arms.

"Fuck Off, Ethan!" I yelled trying to push him away.

"So is he your new boyfriend" he continued.

Bringing up my knee, I tried to kick him where it hurts. I missed but it shocked him enough to step back a bit. Just as he stepped back he was pushed bodily out of the way and into a wall. Kili was there. Looking more angry than I'd ever seen him. His jaw was clenched so tightly and his hands were balled up into fists. Upon seeing him I nearly cried in relief.

"I don't know who the fuck you are but I think you should leave" Kili said through gritted teeth. I think that's the first time I'd heard Kili swear.

Ethan had recovered and he seemed even more angry. He swayed back over to us. It made me stumble back, until I was behind Kili. Ethan leaned down, trying to get into Kili's face.

"So this is him then, some sort of midget" he straightened back up then probably in a bid to intimidate Kili "Tell me midget. Does she let you fuck her?"

Kili striked. He hit where I had missed earlier. Ethan went down like a bag of rocks. Pain clear on his face. Kili wasn't finished though. As soon as he went down and they were at eye level Kili slammed his head into Ethan's nose. Ethan was on the floor, with blood streaming from a broken nose.

Kili wrapped his arm around my shoulders and began leading me away as fast as he could. Anika was suddenly in front of us. She had our coats in her hand and she looked alarmed.

"We need to go now I think a security guard is coming," she said.

So all three of us hurriedly made our way outside. We walked a couple of streets to put distance between us and the pub. The panic had gotten a bit too much for me and a few sobs started to escape my throat. Kili realised first because he was closest to me. He opened his arms as an invitation and I fell into them. Wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I could. I buried my face in his shoulder and let out a few tears. Why did that have to happen tonight? I was having a good time. Why did Ethan have to be such a disgusting prick?

I could hear Kili saying something to comfort me but I couldn't quite understand the words. His hand was rubbing my back reassuringly. Anika's was too. After a little bit I calmed down enough to stop crying. I lifted my head up from Kili's shoulder. There was tear stains on his shirt. Kili let me go but he still held onto me at arms length.

"Who was that man Leah and why was he hurting you?" Kili implored.

I didn't know if I could speak properly in that moment. Still just getting over my bout of crying. Anika thankfully came to my rescue.

"His name is Ethan and he's the biggest Dickhead ever. He used to be her boyfriend." Anika said, disgust evident in her voice.

Kili's eyebrows drew together "You used to court him?"

"I wouldn't call it that" I said, wobbly.

"Yeah he was nice to begin with but then he started getting creepy and demanding she have sex with him, he's like a fucking incel or something" Anika spat.

Kili's mouth turned down in disgust, he seemed to be unable to form a sentence. His mouth opening and closing. "I've never heard of someone treating a female that way, it's repulsive. If anyone ever treated a dwarrowdam like that they'd lose their head."

That was comforting to hear. At least dwarves treated women well.

"Thank you Kili, you have no idea how grateful I am for what you did" I said

"Also" I said, a small smile pulling at the corners of my mouth "I think that was one of the most badass things I've ever seen."

oOo

We made it back to my house not long after that. My friends did message us to find out what had happened. They were also angry about what had happened. Some of them tried to apologise but I told them I was fine. It wasn't their fault that Ethan showed up.

Mum was very concerned when I got home. She could see that I had red eyes from crying and that there were spots of blood on Kili's shirt. It was a nice shirt. It didn't deserve this. Mum rushed over immediately, checking both of us over. When I told her what had happened Mum's face changed from worried to down right incensed. I'm pretty certain that she was capable of murder in that moment. She hated Ethan with all her being after what happened when we were together. I just about convinced her not to go and stab him in the eye. Kili wasn't too helpful in that regard. He was down to murder as much as Mum was. They seemed to be corralling each other. Eventually everyone settled down. No future killing plans in the works. I hope.

oOo

When I woke up the next day I saw that a big bruise had started to develop on my right arm. Where Ethan's hand had dug in. You could see imprints of fingers. The sight made me sick and angry. How dare he do that to me? I wanted this to never happen again. If I was more prepared maybe I could have fought him off on my own. Seeing Kili take him down so easily was amazing. Maybe he could help me. Teach me a few moves.

I made my way over to his door and knocked on. It took a few moments but eventually he opened the door. He was yawning and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Leah, what can I do for you?" said Kili, a yawn still evident in his voice.

"Erm I was wondering" I said, my thumb worrying the palm of the other hand "Could you, maybe, teach me some self defence?"

His eyebrows rose slightly "Like fighting?"

I nodded back at him. Kili's hand drew up to his face and rubbed his chin. "I'm not sure if I'd be the best teacher I've never had to teach someone before," he said.

I looked away then, a little downtrodden. "It's okay" I mumbled.

"No, no, don't worry I'll do it" he said quickly "I'll help you as much as I can"

I looked back up at him and smiled "Thank you so much Kili"

oOo

Both of us ended up outside in the garden. I don't think Mum would have appreciated it if i slam dunked Kili into a settee. That was probably too ambitious if I'm being honest. Maybe one day I'll be able to successfully slam dunk someone. But probably not today.

Kili was dressed in a pair of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt. I was in a pair of sports leggings and a tank top. Kili raised his eyebrows a little at my ensemble but he didn't make a comment. He did however comment on the bruise that had formed on my arm.

"Is that from yesterday?" he asked, hand ghosting over the bruise.

I pulled away from him and covered the injury with my hand. For some reason I was embarrassed by Kili looking at it. Which was silly. I knew Kili wouldn't judge me.

"I can't believe he did that to you" he spat "That spineless, beardless, Abrâfu shaikmashâz!"

He had gotten angry enough that Khuzdul was slipping out. I had no idea what it meant but it sounded like an insult. It made me want to learn some dwarven insults. I bet they had some good ones.

"It's the reason I want to learn how to fight properly" I said, trying to calm him "Then one day I'll be able to kick his ass"

oOo

Firstly he told me that we needed to warm up. He put me through my paces. Stretching, running up and down the garden. I got very out of breath and we hadn't even officially started.

After I caught my breath again Kili began with the lesson. To begin with he was teaching me how to punch properly.

"Now you never put your thumb inside your fist" he said, folding my hand until it made a fist.

I nodded, I knew that much at least. No thumbs will be broken today. At least I hope not.

We started out by doing a few simple punches. A pillow was used in place of one of those pad things that you're supposed to use. Kili would hold up the pillow for me to hit. He would then critique my punches. Correcting my position, or my stance, or the speed I moved my fists.

Next he tried to teach me how to get out of holds. Kili had grabbed my wrist tightly in his hand.

"Right now try and get out of my grip" He said, smoothly.

I started pulling my hand away. Gritting my teeth. No matter how hard I pulled I couldn't pull my arm away. I let out a frustrated growl. Kili laughed at that and let my hand go.

"Try it on me" He said, offering his hand out.

"Alright then," I said, grabbing his arm by the wrist.

My hand didn't quite fit around it. Damn my small hands. Even so, I gripped as tightly as I could. I nodded to Kili signaling him to start. With one simple movement of his arm he had broke free from my grip.

"That's not fair" I made a face at him, "My hands are too small"

Kili laughed "Stop making a sad face Leah. It's not because of your small hands, it's a technique. Here let me show you"

He picked my wrist back up. "It doesn't matter how big my hand is you can still get out of this hold"

I looked at where he held my arm, waiting for him to continue.

"Right now move your wrist and line up your thumb with where mine is"

I did as he said with a little effort. "Like that?" I asked.

"Yes exactly, now pull your arm towards your chest quickly"

It worked! My wrist slid out of his grip and I stumbled backwards a little. I may have given a little victory 'woohoo'.

"You see where my thumb and finger are is the weakest point so if you pull that way you can break the hold" he explained.

We did it a few more times to demonstrate that I could do it.

oOo

These little training sessions became a new regular thing. I was excited to learn self defence and Kili seemed very happy to teach me. He taught me many different things. At one point he even got his dagger out and gave me some pointers on knife skills. He told me the best way to stand and how to throw my weight behind a strike. While it was fun to practice the thought of having to use a knife made me very uneasy.

One time Kili had asked me to try and knock him down. My first attempt consisted of just trying to shove him. But the dwarf didn't move at all. It was like he was cemented to the ground.

"Damn your low centre of gravity" I groaned as I tried to shoulder him down.

Kili laughed at my attempts. Then he hooked a leg behind my knees and knocked me to the ground. The fall knocked some of the air out of me and I made an 'oof' noise as I hit the floor. Kili squatted down next to me, with a smile on his face.

"What did I say about your balance?" he smirked.

"I know, I know," I said. He had been trying to drill it into my head.

Then I pushed him, hoping to wipe the grin off his face. As he was squatting down rather than kneeling, he didn't have enough balance himself. He tumbled backwards onto the ground next to me. It was my turn to laugh then. His surprised expression at being pushed was very funny.

Another time he was teaching me how to get out of a choke hold from behind. He came up very close behind me. I could feel his breath tickling against my neck. It made me shiver a little. Shaking my head I tried to concentrate on what Kili was telling me.

"Right what do you do if someone grabs you from behind?" He said into my ear.

He was making it very difficult to concentrate. "Erm, what. Oh. I don't know" I laughed nervously "wack out my sick karate moves, they'll be so amazed they just dr..AHH"

Kili had wrapped both arms around my torso and picked me up. It was as if I weighed absolutely to him. My back was crushed against his very toned chest.

"You were talking too much," he said, I could hear the smile in his voice.

Being lifted in the air made me start to laugh. My feet were dangling slightly off the floor. If I reached I could probably still touch the ground. Kili wasn't very tall after all. He made up for it in strength though. I could tell that he wasn't getting tired anytime soon.

"Fine, fine you made your point" I said.

He gently placed me back on my feet.

"And anyway that wasn't a choke hold that was more like a bear hug" I told him, smugly.

He gave me a look before continuing with what he was originally trying to teach me.

**Abrâfu shaikmashâz!- Descendant of rats**


	9. Be careful of what it takes

Light streamed down through the branches above me. Creating strands of light that cut through the shade of the forest. It was hard to tell whether it was starlight or sunlight. You couldn't see the sky through the leaves of the canopy. It was peaceful as I walked through the forest. There was only me. All alone in this wide expanse of nature. Not even animals were around. No birds. No deer. The forest was completely silent. Like it was holding its breath.

I smiled up at the canopy taking a deep breath. It smelled like home. Like something I'd lost and forgotten but was back again. I knew these trees. So tall they towered above you. They made you feel so small. Made you realise that you're a part of a bigger world.

I reached out to touch one of them. The bark rough beneath my fingers. One second it was my hand on the tree and the next it was a much smaller one. A child's. But still mine. It seemed to flicker between the two. Like different lenses being placed in front of your eyes one after the other. Not seeing anything amiss, I pulled my hand away from the tree and carried on forwards.

I was going somewhere. Wasn't I? No, I was just out for a stroll in the woods. But. There was something, wasn't there? Someone told me I had to go somewhere. Was it this way? It was like an itch at the back of my head.

The peaceful forest didn't seem so happy anymore. A sense of urgency overcame me. I had to get somewhere fast. But where? And why? I wasn't walking anymore. I had started to stumble, half running through the trees. The quiet of the woods was broken by my panicked breaths.

It was getting harder to see in front of me. The strands of light streaming from above were going out. One by one. Like someone flipping a light switch. Wherever I ran. Blink. Another one out. Blink. Blink. Like someone was turning off the stars.

A tree rose up in front of me, half covered in shadow. I had just about stopped myself from running into it. Halting my fleeing, I stopped at the tree. I clung onto it, seeking some form of stability. My breath was coming out in short gasps. A cloud formed every time I breathed out. When did it get so cold?

Huddling closer to the tree I tried to preserve what little warmth I had left. I was also finding it increasingly difficult to see. If I left the tree I wouldn't know which direction to go in. But I also couldn't stay here. I had to keep moving. Taking a deep breath, I went to push myself away from the tree. That's when I saw something. Something dark and diseased moving along the tree. Like blood in a vein. A pulsing shadow. It was devouring the tree.

I stumbled back trying to get away from it. My back hit another tree and I swivelled around. The darkness was crawling up that tree as well. It was consuming all of the trees, the roots, the earth. All of it was emanating from something. Something close.

Getting closer.

A sound cut through the soundless night. A snarl. A roar. The revving of an engine. It was like all three mixed into one.

One second it was me, alone, in the darkness. The next it wasn't. My mind couldn't even comprehend what it was. It morphed and shifted. Sometimes it was a large humanoid thing with a knife. Next it was a giant wolf. Or a car with blinding headlights.

All that I knew is that I was running from it. Running until it felt like my feet were bleeding and the air burned from my lungs. I was crying, tears had fallen down my face. I could taste the salt on my tongue.

It had become pitch black. No light left to show the way. Branches still whipped at my face and roots still clung to my feet. One root seemed to wrap around my whole ankle and I was thrown to the ground.

It was on me in a second. I could feel hot putrid breath on the back of my neck. With a final sob I turned around to face the monster.

It was gone. And the forest was gone. What was once damp earth was now soft snow. Tiny flakes drifted through the air. Landing on my cheek. I brought my hand up to touch where it had landed. My tears were gone. As if they were never there. Looking up I could see that I was very high up. It must have been a hill of some sort. A very tall hill.

I stood up, clumsily, wanting to look around. To my right was a very sheer cliff. Peering over it I got a very strong feeling of vertigo. The feeling caused me to back away from the edge. To the left there seemed to be the remains of a building. It was a ruin. Buried beneath a layer of snow.

A pained cry radiated and echoed through the air. It was coming from within the ruins. Someone was hurt. Someone that I cared about.

I ran towards the sound. Rounding the corners of the broken walls, quickly. My heart was beating rapidly as I rounded the last corner. I stopped moving, instantly frozen to the spot. My breath came out as a strangled gasp.

It was a monster. Over 8ft tall and built like a bear. It's skin was a mottled grey. Every inch of it was covered in scars. Jagged pieces of metal had been embedded into its skin. An enormous sword hung from its hand. The blade red with fresh blood. It was looking straight at me. One of its eyes was clouded white.

A terrifying smile stretched across its face. A baring of teeth, as if it had found its next meal.

"RUN!" a cry echoed from behind the monster.

That's when I saw Kili. He was lying, collapsed on the ground. All colour had drained from his face. A sheen of sweat clung to his brow. He was dressed in some sort of plate armour. It obviously hadn't worked though. A huge patch of red seeped out from a wound in his abdomen.

"KILI!" I screamed.

I had to get to him. He couldn't die. I had to save him.

No matter how fast I ran there always seemed to be the same amount of space between us. Reaching for the wall I tried to drag myself along it. Tried to get closer.

The monster merely laughed at me. "You're already too late"

Before I could even get close, the monster had taken his sword and plunged it deep into Kili's chest.

oOo

I shot up into a sitting position. My breaths were short rasps. It felt like I couldn't get enough air in. My heart was beating out of my chest. Thundering in my ears. A sob rose in my throat.

It was a dream. No not a dream, a nightmare. An awful one at that. It had been so vivid, like I was really there. Like I was trapped. My nightmares weren't normally this bad. I could shake those one's off pretty easily nowadays. But this one. It was awful. Seeing the sword cut through Kili chest. To see him die. I couldn't cope with it. Full sobs now wracked my body and I couldn't stop the flow of tears.

How could I be so stupid? How did I manage to forget Kili's fate? I'd spent the past few months in bliss, just enjoying having one of my favourite characters be real. Somehow I hadn't thought about how Kili's story ended. Until now. Until it was seared into my memory. Like a flash of a camera it was branded onto my eyes. I could see it even when my eyes were closed. Kili's terrified, ashen face begging me to run.

Kili was going to die and it was going to be by Bolg's hand. That's who that monster had been. In my dream it was just some nameless thing. But now I was awake I knew who it was. Azog the defiler's son. A savage orc hell bent on ending the line of Durin.

My stomach tightened. It almost felt like I was going to be sick. I needed to move. To untangle myself from these sheets. The blanket had wrapped around my legs in the night. Now they were constricting me and I felt trapped. With some effort and shaking hands I managed to unearth myself from the bed.

Stumbling, I made my way out of my room. I needed to get away from there. In the midst of a panic attack I made my way over to the bathroom. If I was going to be sick then I might as well be in there. The light in the bathroom blinded as I switched it on. I made it close to the toilet before I collapsed onto the tiled floor. Cold from the tiles seeped into my legs. It was close enough.

My hands had balled into tight fists. The nails digging sharply into my palms. Vision blurred through the tears. Involuntary whimpers were escaping me. I knew I was being silly but I couldn't stop myself.

I don't know how long I knelt there on the cold bathroom floor. After some time I was no longer alone. I didn't hear them come in because of my crying. Arms wrapped around my shoulders and brought me closer. My head resting on their chest.

"Shhh, It's okay. What happened Leah?" they said.

It was Kili.

That realisation made me sob harder. The object of my grief suddenly in front of me. I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him. Kili rubbed my back with one hand. The other one was laced in my hair. He was whispering comforts in my ear.

At one point I was lifted up. Kili had picked me up off the ground with ease. He led me out of the bathroom. I was laid upon something soft. It must have been a mattress. Kili didn't leave me though. He had laid down right next to me, bringing me close to his chest. I could feel his heartbeat through his chest. Alive.

We lay like that until my cries had subsided and my shuddering breaths evened out. Once I was composed I looked up at Kili "I'm sorry" I said, voice hoarse and cracking.

"There's nothing to be sorry for" he said.

His eyes were soft and earnest. He traced his thumb along my cheek, wiping up some of the remaining tears.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" he said softly.

I took a deep shaky breath in "I..I have these nightmares sometimes" I lamented "Normally I can handle them but this one was… bad".

"In what way?"

"Seeing people die" I whispered, looking away from Kili's eyes.

"That must have been awful" he said, his hand had returned to my hair. Fingers running comfortingly against my scalp. It was making me sleepy.

"It's over now though" he said "I..I can stay if it would help you"

I hummed in agreement, suddenly too tired to speak. He should stay. I wanted him to stay. It wasn't long before I drifted off again.

oOo

Kili

He had been struggling to find sleep for hours now. Each time he would successfully drift off his body would jolt him awake again. It was infuriating. Sighing, he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. This had been happening a lot more recently. The longer he stayed in this world the more restless he became. He needed to get home. He knew he did. But the more time went on the more nervous he became. Was that door way a one way trip? Would he never see his family again? He had been in this world for months now and there didn't seem to be any sign of that gateway returning. Leah and Ellen had been using their 'internets' to search for clues but it was all fruitless.

On the other hand, while he wanted to go home, he also despaired leaving. Thinking about leaving everything he had found in this world made his heart sink. This world was so completely different to his own. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. So many new experiences to try out. There would always be something new thrown at him. He'd also made friends here. Ellen treated him as a part of her family even though she hadn't known him. Clothed him, fed him, gave him a roof over his head. He would forever be indebted to her. Anika was also a good friend. Even if she insisted on calling him Geri. She was funny and could be understanding when he struggled with something.

Then there was Leah. He struggled _not_ to think of her most of the time. They had grown so close over the past few months. He'd never gotten so close to someone who wasn't in his family. It was strange and exciting and scary. They shared a sense of humour. Leah knew how to make him laugh and he knew how to make her laugh. She would smile and it would light up her whole face. Often it would make him lose his breath for a second. He'd never seen such a beautiful smile before.

The thought of leaving her, losing her, sent a sharp pain through his chest.

So that's why he was laying there in the middle of the night. Staring at the patterns on the ceiling. These thoughts would not leave his head. Sitting up, he stretched his arms over his head and let out a tired sigh. A drink might help. He left his bed and made his way over to the door. A noise made him pause. What was that? He put his ear to the door and listened. Cries. Someone was crying.

Kili opened his door slowly, uncertain of who it might be. He didn't want to charge into something private. The light in the bathroom was on and the door was wide open. Leah was in a pile on the floor. Her sobs were inconsolable and tears streamed down her face. His heart broke at the sight. He rushed over immediately.

"Leah, Leah?" she didn't seem to hear him.

Carefully, so as not to startle her, he wrapped his arms around her. Bringing her close to him.

Her cries seemed to increase when she realised he was there. She grabbed onto him with a surprising amount of force. Kili hugged her tightly, his lips were on the top of her head. He whispered reassurances into her hair.

They couldn't stay like that. If she stayed here she would probably feel worse. He wasn't sure if she'd be willing to walk though. Slowly, he released his hold on Leah. A small, sad sound escaped her throat as he moved away. But he wasn't going too far. He looped one arm under her legs and the other behind her back and lifted. She didn't weigh much so it wasn't very difficult.

He carried her into his room and laid her onto the bed. For a second he had an internal panic. Why did he bring her into his room? This was probably, terribly inappropriate. He should have gone to her room. It was too late to change it now.

Leah looked very small. Curled up with a tear stained face. He hesitated for a second before deciding to climb in next to her. Screw propriety. He was going to comfort her. Kili held her close to his chest until her sobs subsided.

"I'm sorry" he heard her say.

Sorry? why was she sorry? she hadn't done anything wrong. He was here for her.

"There's nothing to be sorry for" he said.

He looked right at her, wanting her to see that he wasn't lying in any way. A few tears were still glistening on her cheek. He reached up and wiped them away with his thumb.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" he said softly.

He desperately wanted to know what had caused her to react like this. But he didn't want to push her. Didn't want to make her feel worse.

"I..I have these nightmares sometimes" she said "Normally I can handle them but this one was… bad".

Nightmares. He got them sometimes. They were usually about his Adad. Kili had been quite young when he died. They never got this bad though

"In what way?" he asked.

"Seeing people die," she said, barely above a whisper.

"That must have been awful" he said

Kili reached up and brushed a hand through her hair. Leah's eyes closed and she hummed contentedly. It took him a second before he realised what he was doing. He was touching her hair. Usually, only resigned for very close family and friends. Well at this point he'd say that Leah qualified as being a very close friend. He marvelled at the softness of her hair.

"It's over now though" he said "I..I can stay if it would help you"

He greatly wanted to stay. To keep her in his arms. It felt right, like they were made for it. She made a humming noise that vibrated against his chest. Within seconds he could tell that she was already asleep.

It didn't take long for him to follow suit. Being next to someone he cared about made sleep come very easily.

oOo

Leah

I woke up to sunlight streaming across my face. Blinking against the light I fought my eyes open. What I saw confused me. This wasn't my room. That's when I noticed a strong arm wrapped around my middle. Kili's arm. He held me tightly against him. My back to his chest. Oh, I remember now. The midnight panic attack. My face heated up thinking about it. I can't believe Kili had to see me like that. Now I was in a very precarious position.

Kili's breath tickled the back of my neck. Softly snoring. I was suddenly very aware of my own body. Our legs were entwined together under the covers. I was also currently using one of his arms as a pillow. No idea how he hadn't gotten a dead arm. Or maybe he had but he didn't want to move me. The other arm was wrapped around me. His hand grazing a patch of skin from where my pajama shirt had rode up. Dangerously close to just having a full hand up my shirt. The idea made me giddy and anxious at the same time.

As comfy as it was to be Kili's little spoon, I needed to move. If he woke up while I was still here I would have no idea what to say. Probably yell sorry and run out the door. I didn't exactly know where to begin to try and extract myself. His arm was probably a good start. Gently, I reached up and grabbed the arm around my waist. Slowly, so as not to wake him, I tried to pull it away from me. As soon as I went to move it, Kili suddenly grabbed me tighter. Christ that dwarf is strong. He snuggled into me, his nose skimmed against my neck. It sent tingles down my back.

I tried to be very still. Hoping that he wouldn't wake up. After a few moments it seemed like he wasn't going to move again. Time for attempt two. This time I tried to shuffle out with my body. After a few excruciatingly long seconds I managed to extricate myself. Kili didn't wake up as I backed out of his room.

I felt very on edge. My fingers brushed the back of my neck. There was still a ghost of Kili's breath on the back of my neck. It made it very difficult for rational thought. Shaking my head, I tried to bring some sense back.

I made my way downstairs. The stairs creaking slightly under my weight. Tea seemed like a good shout right now. A cup of tea to settle my nerves. I walked through the living room and opened the kitchen door. Mum was already up. She was nursing her own cup of tea while reading something on her kindle. Greeting her good morning, I walked over to the kettle. It was still hot so I just poured myself a tea.

Once I had made it I sat down at the dining table across from Mum. As soon as I sat down Mum looked up at me. She was giving me a very strange, pointed look.

"So" she said, over the brim of her mug "Should I be expecting any dwarf grandchildren any time soon?"

I nearly spat out my tea "Mum?!"

How did she know that I'd slept in Kili's room last night?

"You do realise that Kili's bedroom door was wide open this morning, it's not my fault if my eyes strayed and saw you all snuggled up. You were very cute by the way" she grinned at me.

I could feel my face become hot. Oh god this is mortifying.

"It wasn't like that Mum. Get your mind out of the gutter" I said.

Mum giggled, "Enlighten me then."

I took a deep breath, preparing myself to bring down the mood. "I had a nightmare and Kili found me crying in the bathroom"

Mum's face changed to concern then. She put her tea down and reached out to hold my hand "Oh darling Are you alright? Your nightmares were under control for so long"

"I know, but then I got new ones. Yay" I said with fake enthusiasm.

"What was this one about?" Mum said.

"I was being chased through the woods by some monster thing. Granted, that one was probably courtesy of the warg that attacked us" I said.

Mum squeezed my hand encouragingly.

"But I could handle that one, it's similar to ones I've had in the past" I breathed in deeply "Then it changed… It was… I saw Kili and he was being killed by an orc"

I stopped speaking. His dying form, sprung unbidden to the front of my mind. If I wasn't careful I was going to start panicking again.

Mum had moved then. She came around to where I was and wrapped her arms around me.

"Oh that's awful" mum said.

I laid my head against Mum's shoulder. "I can't believe I forgot" I said, throat tight. "He can't die, Mum, he can't".

Mum rubbed my arm and I looked up at her "We should probably warn him" she said "we can't tell him everything though because some things need to happen the way they did. Changing those could make things worse"

Telling him. Yes we could tell him and warn him. That way he would be prepared and he could survive. A naïve hope surged through me. Kili would live. He had to. The thought of losing Kili made me sick. I don't know how Kili would take it but I was now resigned to telling him.

Mum's arm dropped from around me as I sat up. She was staring into the distance. Eyes unfocused not really looking at anything.

"Maybe we should go with him...when he goes back home," she said, her voice just about audible.

Go with him? To Middle Earth? I thought it would be me that would suggest something like that. Not my very rational mother. The thought of following him to Middle Earth made my heart soar. It felt like we should. Like it was the right thing to do. I wanted it with every fibre of my being. But we couldn't do that. Could we?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Mum shook her head seeming to come out of her stupor. "Oh I'm just being silly, ignore me" she said nonchalantly.

She was acting very strangely. Mum was pretending that she didn't mean it but I could tell that she was being 100% sincere. She was just as desperate to go to Middle Earth as I was.

Mum carried on with her morning routine as if she had never suggested we leave the world we knew.

oOo

I had decided to tell Kili about his fate. Now I needed to find the right opportunity to tell him. The problem was that I was being a coward. I would build myself up to tell him and then chicken out at the last minute. Probably making me look like a weirdo.

Kili was sitting in the living room, watching something on T.V. I, on the other hand, was sort of hovering by the edge of the room like some kind of stalker. My hands were wringing together and my stomach was doing flips. Right it has to be now or never. Steeling myself I took a deep breath and walked over to the settee he was sat on.

He gave me a small smile as I sat down, his eyebrows pulling together slightly in concern. Hopefully because he thought that I was still fragile from my dream and not that I was about to tell him that he and his family were gonna die. Oh my god. I'm gonna throw up.

Kili put a hand on my shoulder "Are you okay?"

I shook my head "Not really" well here goes nothing "I need to tell you something"

"Is it about your dream?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

I guess it was, partly. Rubbing my hand down my face I replied "Yeah, my dream is involved"

"What happened?" he said, softly.

Oh where do I even start "I was on some kind of hill, covered in ruin. It was freezing and covered in snow… And I saw you?"

"Me?"

I nodded. My throat felt like it was getting tighter, my voice was starting to break "Kili.. I, I saw you die. A giant orc stabbed you through the chest"

Kili wrapped one of his arms around my shoulder "Hey, don't worry, it's over now. I'm here, I'm not going to die" He gave me a small smile trying to comfort me.

It had the opposite effect and I broke down "But you are!" I cried, covering my face with my hands.

Kili backed away slightly "What do you mean?" he said, uncertainly.

I took in several breaths to try and steady my racing heart. Removing my hands from my face I looked back at Kili. "Do you remember how there are stories here about your world?"

He nodded.

"Well I think the timeline between our two worlds is different?" I said

Kili's brow furrowed "What does timeline mean?"

"I don't really know how to explain this but It means that there are stories from Middle Earth that happen nearly 100 years in your future." I said.

"But that doesn't make sense, how can they write about something that hasn't happened yet?" he said.

"It might not have happened to you but it has already happened here" I explained.

Kili paused, looking down. He seemed deep in thought. "So not only do you know about Middle Earth you also know about my future?" his voice was disbelieving.

I nodded "The quest that you are about to go on, to reclaim Erebor, has already been written"

His mouth fell open in surprise "But, but I've never told you about the quest. How did you?" he shook his head, then he looked at me very intently "If the quest is already written then what happens?"

His face was begging me to tell him. "Smaug is defeated and Erebor is reclaimed. That's why my tattoo say 'So comes snow after fire and even dragons have there end'" I said.

Kili's face lit up, he looked like he was about to cry. "We do it, we actually do it?" he said breathlessly.

Here I come to ruin the day. I was starting to cry again "But everyone survives Kili. There is a battle and there's an orc army and.." My voice kept breaking and I was becoming breathless.

"Who dies Leah?" he asked, his voice was so vulnerable.

It made me sob harder and I struggled to reply.

"Who dies Leah!?" he asked, harder this time.

I looked back to him, sorrow filling my eyes "Your Uncle Thorin dies killing Azog the defiler… and you and Fili die trying to protect him"

Kili's face fell. His eyebrows screwed up as if in pain and tears brimmed his eyes. "No. No. You're wrong. That can't happen. It can't" his voice had started to break "My brother and Uncle can't die, they can't… I can't die"

I couldn't cope with Kili's anguish. Seeing him like that was like a knife to the gut. "I'm sorry" I whispered, tears falling down my own face.

Kili looked like an animal that had been cornered. In a second he was on his feet, ready to bolt.

"I'm sorry.. I can't" he said.

And then he ran.

oOo

Kili

He didn't know what else to do, so he ran. Leaving the house through the front door, not even paying attention to where he was running. Tears had now started to fall, making it difficult to see. His racing heart refused to quiet and he felt like he wasn't getting enough air in.

Leah had to be wrong. She had to be. If she was right...It didn't bear thinking about. Mahal above, How could they die? Uncle Thorin was so strong, Kili had always thought that nothing could ever fell him. Thorin was a leader, their King, he had been through so much to help his kingdom. And he was going to die reclaiming his homeland.

Kili backed away suddenly as a car nearly drove straight into him. He would never get used to this world. Deciding to avoid anymore roads he turned and escaped into a copse of trees by the roadside. Trees and fields he could understand better. After a while of half running through the trees he came upon a fallen log.

All energy seemed to drain out of him and he collapsed into it. His head fell into his hands.

Fili. His big brother. They would tease each other but Fili always had his back. 82 was no age at all. He was barely in his majority. Hadn't had chance to court anyone or find his craft. Then again neither had Kili.

Amad would be all alone. All of her family, dead in one day. He couldn't leave his Amad like that. It would destroy her. He remembered what it was like when they'd lost Adad. She was strong in front of him and Fili. Never seeming to let the sadness win. When she was alone though, was a different matter. Kili remembered hearing her crying at night, praying to Mahal to bring him back.

He didn't know how long he sat there. Alone in a forest. A light rain had started to fall around him. He couldn't spend all day out here. Wallowing and hiding. He needed to get back. Maybe Leah had some answers for him. If he knew more maybe he could stop it from happening.

Getting back to the house was more difficult than leaving had been. He hadn't been looking where was going and now was rather lost. After struggling for a while he approached someone walking their dog and asked them for directions. Apparently he'd gone further than he thought. When he eventually made it back he could see Ellen's car was in the driveway. She must have finished work.

He walked through the front door. Leah was talking rapidly with her mother, she seemed very panicked. Upon hearing the door open they both turned around. Relief washed over Leah's face and she rushed over. Crushing him with a hug.

"Oh Kili, I'm so sorry. I was so scared when I didn't know where you were" she mumbled.

Kili returned the hug. Feeling better with her embrace. They released each other and Kili looked at Leah.

"Please tell me everything?"

Ellen decided it would be better if everyone sat down first. They all sat down on the settees and Ellen and Leah began explaining.

"What do you mean you can't tell me everything? I need to know. Mine and my family's lives are at stake!" he said, half hysterical.

Ellen lifted a hand to try and quiet his rambling. "We don't mean it maliciously Kili. It's just a lot of things on the quest are critical and have to happen the way they do. If you knew everything, no matter if you intended to or not, you may end up changing things. Then things could change drastically. In ways that we could never foresee. It could end worse; more people could die" said Ellen, then she took a deep breath "This quest ultimately affects more than just the Dwarves. If certain events change then the whole of Middle Earth may suffer."

Kili was speechless. How could reclaiming Erebor affect the whole of Middle Earth?

"Then what can you tell me?" said Kili, becoming desperate.

Leah spoke up this time "You're going to be hunted. By orcs. Azog wants to end the line of durin"

"But Thorin killed Azog. At the battle of Azanulbizar"

Leah shook her head "He survived. He lost an arm but he still lived"

Kili's face went white. Thorin had told him about that vicious orc The one that had killed his great-grandfather, King Thror. How could he hope to fight against something not even his Uncle could kill?

"There will be a battle after Smaug is killed. Orcs and goblins will try and take the Mountain back from you. You, Thorin and Fili will try to kill Azog on Ravenhill but it's an ambush and you get separated...and you die" said Leah, her voice shaking.

He knew of Ravenhill. From the maps he had been shown it was close to the mountain.

"So if we avoid going up there we might not die?" said Kili, his voice small and childlike.

Ellen gave him an encouraging smile, "We can't know for sure but if you're not on that hill and you don't get separated then there is a big chance you'll survive"

Well that was it then. He was going to save him and family.

_There's about 3 chapters left in the modern world and then we'll finally be in Middle Earth_


	10. The room begins to sway

_Ya boi graduated this week. I'm officially free of university, I can't believe it. Also my boyfriend got a new puppy and it is the cutest thing ever.__  
__Anyway, enjoy my longest chapter yet._

Kili had become very focused. He wasn't as carefree as he had been originally. The knowledge weighed heavy on him at times. He had doubled down on the amount that he trained with his sword. I didn't want him to train all alone though. Often I would sit with him while he trained. Trying to make him smile or laugh. Anything to stop him over thinking about things. Seeing him so sad was like a punch to the gut. Usually I was pretty good at making him smile again though. I knew how to make him laugh.

One time we were in the garden and I was trying to show off my own skills with sword fighting. Not with the actual sword obviously. Kili wouldn't let me go near it after I nearly chopped off my foot trying to pick it up. That thing is heavy. So I had a big ass stick instead. I swinging it around with fluid grace. And by fluid grace I meant that I was waving a stick around with reckless abandon. I wasn't really going for style points.

I was currently trying to do the things where you sort of spin it around your neck and catch it again.

"What in Mahal's name was that?" Kili laughed, he was leaning against his own sword.

The stick hadn't gone all the way around my neck and kept falling behind my back before I could catch it.

"Sword skills isn't it obvious" I said, attempting another go.

Kili raised his eyebrows, his eyes shining with laughter. "If you do that with a sword you won't have a head anymore"

"I will because I'm in complete control, no sword can harm me," I said with a lot of confidence.

"That's not how swords work" he said "And anyway you can't even get a stick to obey you never mind a sword"

Just as he said that I managed to swing the stick around and catch it. I changed my face into a 'Ha told you so' kind of face. Kili laughed at my antics. Trying to do it again, I ended up throwing the stick several feet to the left. As I went to retrieve the stick I could see Mum through the kitchen window. She was pacing with a phone to her ear and one hand was rubbing the bridge of her nose. This had been going on for over two hours and I still wasn't sure what had happened.

"What do you think is wrong?" I asked over my shoulder

"Work, maybe" he said coming to stand next to me.

Through the window I could see Mum had stopped pacing and seemed to be making her way outside.

"Shit she's coming out, act like we weren't watching her through the window" I said, looking away and leaning an elbow on Kili's shoulder. All casual like.

"What are you doing?" he asked bemused

"Acting natural"

"There's nothing natural about what you're doing," he said with a grin.

Mum had made it over to us by then. She was wringing her hands together and seemed to be trying to find the right words.

"Right I've been on the phone for the past two hours because a band that was supposed to be playing at the Matisse wedding decided to cancel, three days! before the wedding. Three days!" Mum's voice was increasing in pitch.

"Is that the one with the bridezilla?" I asked.

Mum had been organising a wedding at work. If she was on about the person I thought it was then this was very bad news. That woman was so nit picky. Everything had to be done her way and even when it was she wasn't happy with it. Mum had complained about her no end of times. She would come home to rant to me about it. I wouldn't mind though, it was fun listening to the drama. It also helped Mum get it out of her system.

Mum nodded, confirming my suspicions. "So is no one available at short notice?" I asked.

"Not as far as I can tell, everyone seems to be booked" she sighed "It doesn't help that it's currently wedding season"

Mum steepled her hands in front of her mouth and closed her eyes. She took in a deep breath and lowered her hands.

"Leah I need to ask you the biggest favour. And you can say no. But I desperately need someone to sing at this wedding. The bride has somehow agreed to have a DJ for most of the evening but she won't budge on having a live singer for walking down the aisle and her first dance" Mum implored, her eyes were begging me to say yes.

I'd sung at events Mum had organised in the past; so it wasn't something out of nowhere. When I had dreams of becoming a big singer I had begged Mum to let me sing in front of an audience. The first time didn't go great but the people were nice about it. I had done it a few more times since and had gotten better each time. A wedding was a big deal though. Having an angry bride shout at me wouldn't be a fun experience. I would do it though, for Mum.

"Yes, Yeah I'll do it Mum" I said.

Mum let out a breath she had been holding "Oh darling you have no idea how much that helps me"

Mum reached over and gave me a hug. Her relief was palpable. After a tight squeeze she released me.

"Right now I just need to find a musician. The bride will only accept a pianist or a violinist" said Mum.

Kili's face lit up then "I could do it!" he said very eagerly "I can play the violin!"

Oh yeah, he had told me about it. The violin that his Mum had bought him for a birthday present. It would be amazing if Kili could do it with me. I'd prefer to be next to someone I knew when I went on a stage.

"Really?" Mum asked, I could tell she was a bit skeptical.

"Tell her how long you've played the violin for Kili" I nudged him

"43 years"

"Almost as long as you've been alive Mum" I said

"Don't push it" Mum said, a small smile at the corners of her mouth. "I'd have to see you play first Kili. I'm not doubting your skills I just prefer to be sure"

You couldn't really argue with that I guess.

oOo

I have no idea where Mum found one but after barely an hour she had come home bearing a pretty decent quality violin. When I asked her about it she simply told me that 'She had her sources'. It made her sound like some criminal mastermind or something. Most likely she had rented it from somewhere.

Kili picked it up by the neck and studied it. Hopefully violins in Middle Earth weren't different. He began tuning it and plucking the strings experimentally. I have no idea what he was listening for but he was very focused. After a few ministrations he seemed to be ready. He placed the violin under his chin. A bow in hand hovering over the strings. He looked at Mum for confirmation to start. At her nod he drew the bow across the strings.

It was beautiful. I was speechless standing there with my mouth open in shock. He played it with such skill. His eyes were closed, just soaking in the music. Fingers were moving with such precision I could never hope to replicate. The tune was wholly unfamiliar, it must have been a dwarven piece. That didn't detract from my enjoyment though. Seeing him so engrossed in his playing my heart soared. A warm feeling swept through my body and a huge smile spread across my face.

When he finished he dropped the violin away from his chin and looked up at us. His expression was a little shy. I broke into a round of applause and Mum followed suit.

"That was amazing, I think I'm gonna cry" I said, wiping a fake tear away.

"Isn't crying a bad thing?" Kili asked, uncertain.

"Not always, sometimes it's happy tears" I said

Mum was, thankfully, convinced by his performance which meant that we would be performing together. She told us what songs we needed to practice for the wedding. Fortunately it was only two and not a whole concert. We had to learn 'Can't help falling in love' by Elvis and 'A Thousand Years' by Christina Perri. I was grateful that I already knew the songs so I didn't have to worry about forgetting lyrics.

Kili and I practiced together as much as we could over the next few days. With the wedding only days away, we had to make sure we didn't suck. I loved practicing with Kili though. He could make anyone sound good when he played like that. So if I stumbled he had got my back.

The day of the wedding came around and I was very nervous. I had woken up very early in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep. The actual wedding didn't start until 12 so it left a lot of time for me to overthink everything. Will I sound okay? What if I forget the words?

Kili was somehow, blissfully, cool headed. How he did it was beyond me. Why couldn't I be that relaxed? This whole restlessness didn't help me at all. Especially as I was trying to get ready. I had been attempting to put my hair up for around an hour now. There were bobbles, hair elastics and bobby pins all strewn across the little shelf below the mirror. Mum couldn't help me as she had her own things she needed to do. Which left me getting more and more annoyed that my hair wouldn't go right. I'd try to braid it but then some hair would fall out or it wouldn't sit properly. The more irritated I got the more it went wrong. It was a never ending cycle.

I was using the living room mirror and angry tears had started to form in my eyes. Why did my tear ducts betray me when I got frustrated? I dropped the braid currently in my hands and laid my forehead against the mirror. Giving up. I'll just have to show up with a birds nest for hair. I'm sure that would go down well.

A hand was suddenly resting on my shoulder and pulled me away from my wallowing. I turned and saw that it was Kili. He was looking at me with an amused expression. Clearly my pain was funny. He was already dressed for the wedding. A crisp, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. On top of that he wore a blue waistcoat, which I was very appreciative of. Kili looked good in a waistcoat. He was not happy about having to wear a tie, though. Apparently it strangled him. Mum was insistent though as the bride was very particular about uniforms. For that same reason, his hair was also up in a bun. Initially Kili was confused by the style as dwarves never really put all their hair up. They normally just braided sections. It looked good though.

Kili was giving me a pitying look. Then he looked away, suddenly nervous. "I can help you, if you would like"

"With my hair?" I asked, confused but also with increased hope.

I thought dwarves had a thing about hair. But I did desperately needed him to help me. He looked back at me, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks.

"Yes, you look like you're struggling," he said with a nervous laugh.

"What made you think that?" I laughed.

"Probably all the growls and banging your head against mirrors"

"Fine, I see your point," I said "I would really like some help please"

Kili nodded and looked at my hair. Reaching up, his hand hovered by my head. He hesitated for a second but then dove straight in. Starting with undoing the braid that was still in my hair. His deft hands made a quick job of the work. I felt his fingers graze my scalp and I suppressed a shiver. It felt good. Kili began parting sections and braiding down the side of my head. I'd never seen anyone braid so fast. It was amazing. I ended up with 2 braids on each side of my head that circled like a crown. The rest of my hair was left down. At the back Kili had arranged the braids to look like a flower. It was really pretty.

"It looks amazing" I said, twirling in front of the mirror to try and see it all.

"Thank you" he said, looking shy. "Amad used to let me practice on her"

Mum entered the living room then. She was hastily putting in a pair of earrings as she came to stand next to us.

"You're hair looks lovely darling" she said while checking her outfit in the mirror.

She was wearing a long-sleeved, black t-shirt and a poofy, floral skirt that ended by her shins. Her hair was delicately twisted into an updo. It made me jealous that she was able to do that on her own when I flailed with mine.

"Thank you, mum" I decided not to out Kili as my hairdresser. He would probably get flustered if more people knew about it.

oOo

We had to rush out of the house not long after that. Even though the wedding didn't start until 12 we had to be there early to set up. Once we were at the church Mum had to argue with the priest about pretty much everything. The music, the camera placement and someone had moved decorations around. It wasn't the best start. Also apparently where Kili and I were supposed to set up wasn't suitable anymore. Which was bullshit because they had done a dress rehearsal and Mum said everything went fine then. I think the priest was just being difficult for the sake of it. I have no idea how Mum kept so calm.

After a lot of to and fro we managed to set up the instruments and microphones in the same spot we were originally going to. Guests had also started to stream in. Most didn't really pay attention to us. They just wandered over to the pews. Talking amongst themselves. That was fine by me though, I'd probably mess something up if they were staring.

Kili was practicing a little with his violin, making sure he had all the notes right. Impressively, he had managed to learn the songs in less than 3 days. I walked over to him and he lowered the violin as I approached.

"are you excited?" I asked "You'll get to see how this world does weddings"

I paused a moment, in thought "Well how Christians do weddings at least".

"I am intrigued, I want to see if they're different to any of the ones I've been to" said Kili, looking out into the church.

He turned back to me and raised an eyebrow "So what should I expect?"

I gave him a brief rundown on your typical church wedding. Walking down the aisle, the rings, the vows yadda yadda yadda. After I finished my explanation Mum came hurrying over and told us that the bride would be arriving soon. I was so into the conversation with Kili I hadn't noticed that the church was now full. Quickly, Kili and I got into our positions. We were situated at the back of the church on the left side. The bride would come in through the right before continuing up the aisle. I stood in front of a microphone with Kili on my left.

My palms were sweaty and I could feel my stomach doing little flips. This was no time to panic. I took several deep breaths to calm my nerves. Kili nudged me with his elbow and gave me an encouraging smile. 'You'll be great' he mouthed. I gave him a smile back before returning to my microphone. Kili started the song on his violin. Closing my eyes momentarily, I let the music wash over me. I loved violins. Opening my eyes I looked to Mum in the corner. She gave me a thumbs up to signal me to start.

_Wise men say only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin_

_If I can't help falling in love with you?_

I could see the bride now in front of me. Her dress had a sweetheart neckline and big poofy skirts. She had to hold the dress in on hand and her father's arm in the other. Emotions ranged from nervous to excited. No horrified expression as of yet so that was a good sign. Bridezilla was happy for now.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

I looked towards Kili, wanting to see him play while I sang. His eyes weren't closed like I expected them to be. Our eyes met and it suddenly felt like it was only us two in the room. Playing the song for each other.

_Like a river flows surely to the sea_

_Darling so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand, take my whole life too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

As the song came to its close my thoughts drew inwards. The only person this song made me think of when I heard it was Kili. _I can't help falling in love with you_. I felt my stomach flutter at the thought. That probably meant that my feelings were a little more than platonic. Oh god, I had fallen for Kili. I couldn't even think of when I had started to feel like this. It had happened slowly, with each smile, each laugh. When he defended me and held me after my nightmare. This boy had worked his way into my heart. How did I only just realise this?

"Are you okay?" Kili asked, suddenly at my side and making me jump. "You sounded beautiful Leah, don't look so worried".

Looking up at Kili I felt my cheeks warm. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Thank you" I muttered, very flustered.

Kili was very close, his shoulder was touching mine and he leaned closer to whisper into my ear "So what happens now then?"

I felt his breath glance across my ear and I suppressed a shiver. My body was a jumble of nerves and my heart rate quickened. I couldn't form words for a second. Why did I have to have a revelation now? If I hadn't suddenly realised that I was falling in love with the dwarf I probably wouldn't be as flustered right now.

Mum appeared next to us then saving me from fumbling my words. "Right so this priest will probably waffle on for a bit and then they'll do their vows. Once they've finished you'll need to play them out Kili"

Kili nodded already knowing what he was supposed to be doing. Once she was sure we all knew what we were doing she gave us a thumbs up and slinked away. When I looked back to Kili I tried to smile without showing how flustered I was.

oOo

The priest did in fact waffle on. Started spouting something about chocolate rolo's being a symbol for marriage. I think he was just taking advantage of having a full church. Eventually he stopped and the couple actually got married. Kili played the same song as they left the church. People were throwing confetti over the newly weds as they walked past.

We had to shoot off very quickly after they left the church. Mum was needed at the venue to make sure everything was running smoothly. Kili and I went with her to help but we wouldn't be needed again until about 7 o'clock. That left a lot of spare time and we'd probably be super bored. We decided we would help out as much a we could. Moving tables and rearranging flowers etc.

Considering how demanding the bride had been in the run up to this wedding she was surprisingly chill. Even when the florists had got the wrong flowers and the caterers had missed out one of the meals. She took it all in her stride and just smiled. Happy to be married. Mum told us that she sees it a lot. Brides that were completely unreasonable suddenly become nice and polite. It also worked vice versa though. Apparently some of the worst clients Mum had didn't become a nightmare until the actual day.

Mum made sure we all got fed. We ended up with some very fancy chicken sandwiches and Kili had snagged some leftover desserts from the kitchens. He was very happy to just sit there and gorge on cheesecake.

Every time I looked at Kili my heart would beat faster as I'd realise all over again that I liked him. I couldn't tell if he noticed but he never let on that I was acting weird. Hopefully he didn't. I didn't want him to think I was being a weirdo.

We had set up our gear on a little stage near the DJ. The couple wandered onto the dance floor and the DJ announced that it would be their first dance. Kili took that as a signal to start playing.

_The day we met,_

_Frozen I held my breath_

_Right from the start_

_I knew that I'd found a home for my heart_

_Beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

_But watching you stand alone?_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

When we finished the couple was smiling at each other. More people started to fill the dance floor as the DJ put a new song on. Kili and I packed up our equipment as quickly as we could and wandered off the stage. Mum came up to us with a big smile.

"You were great," she said, giving both me and Kili a hug "Thank you so much for doing this you have no idea how much you've helped".

We didn't have to stay much longer after that. The staff at the venue knew what they needed to do. Mum gave them a brief run down but they told her that everything would be taken care of.

Kili looked longingly at the dance floor. Mum had told him that he couldn't join in as he wasn't one of the guests. This had made him sad and forlorn. Apparently seeing everyone else dancing made him want to join in. We left not long after and Kili was still a little put out. Not wanting to see him sad any longer I came up with an idea. I asked Mum to drop us off in the middle of town. If Kili wanted to go out dancing then he will. He can get his first club experience.

I texted Anika to meet us there. She was very happy to do so. We decided that we would have a few drinks at the wetherspoons around the corner before we went. It was only about 9 we couldn't really go clubbing yet. Also we could get cheaper drinks in the pub. It was a lot cheerier than the last time we were here. No stupid ex to ruin it this time. By the time we made it to the club I was quite tipsy. I kept giggling and would poke Kili in the face for seemingly no reason. He had good cheekbones and it was imperative in that moment that I poke them.

Kili swatted my hand away and smiled at me. My heartbeat increased and I smiled back at him. When we got there the bouncers let us in. Thankfully no one had I.D'd Kili, I hadn't thought that one through. Nevertheless we had made it in. The music was so loud you could feel the bass reverb in your chest. You couldn't really hear anyone speak. But music was music and Kili was happy to be able to dance. He dragged both me and Anika over to the dance floor.

"Come on! You've got to dance with me" Kili shouted over the music.

Who were we to refuse? All of us danced along to the music. Well I attempted at least. I can say with certainty that I was the worst dancer in our little group. All my rhythm must have been abandoned as a child. I was still having fun though. At one point the song 5678 came on by Steps. The cowboy one. I grabbed Kili and looped my arm through his, spinning in circles to the music. He was facing one way and I was facing the other. We would alternate between arms and swap partners.

_My bootscootin' baby_

_Is drivin' me crazy_

_My obsession from a western_

_My dance floor date_

_My rodeo Romeo_

_A cowboy god from head to toe_

_Wanna make you mine_

_Better get in line_

_5, 6, 7, 8_

By the time the song ended all of us were laughing and very out of breath. Kili's smile stretched across his whole face, he looked a lot happier now. Now that he finally got to dance. Another song came on and we went back to our own individual dancing. Anika slipped out for a second to go and get us some more drinks.

"Kili you've got some moves" I yelled over the music "I didn't know how well you could dance"

He truly was quite a good dancer. Better than me by a long shot. Looking at me, he gave me a very amused grin.

"And you've got, whatever in Durin's name that is" He said motioning to my dancing.

*gasp* how dare he. How could he say anything wrong about these sick moves? My arms swayed randomly and I managed to miss every beat of the song as I swayed.

"I'm dancing obviously. Maybe you've heard of it" I joked

Kili reached forward and took my hand. He pulled me very close to him, bouncing slightly off of his chest. His other hand grabbed my waist. My breath caught and I was captivated by his eyes. Coloured light blinked across his face. Sending fractals of colour across his eyes. They were mesmerising. He was so close, I could see every individual eyelash. I was overcome with the sudden urge to lean forward and place my lips on his.

"That's not dancing" he said into my ear "I'll show you how it's done"

And then we were off. Kili was in the lead, spinning me around. Barely missing the other people. I laughed unguardedly as he led me around the dancefloor. When the song ended he dipped me very low. He held me up with ease. I was breathless as I gazed up at his face. My eyes flicked to his lips, the urge to kiss him was back. I saw Kili's gaze slowly drift to my own lips. His breath fanned across my face. He leaned forward so slightly. Our noses brushing. Anticipation burned through me. Did he feel the same thing?

Then Anika burst through a bunch of people with drinks in hand. The moment was broken and Kili returned me to an upright position. He gave me a sheepish grin, as if I hadn't just been 5 seconds away from kissing him. Anika raised an eyebrow at me but I ignored it and grabbed my drink. I was too full of nervous energy and downed it in one.

oOo

I may have gone a little overboard after that. Downing too many drinks too fast in a bid to ignore or suppress my nerves. It had been a long time since I'd been this drunk. Most of the time I stopped when I got a bit tipsy. Probably would have been a good thing at that moment. But alas, here we were, very wobbly on my feet and slurring all of my words. We were no longer in a club, I could tell because there wasn't any music and I could hear people talking. I was currently snuggling into Anika's chest and telling her how much I loved her.

"But you're like so amazing Ani. Anika. Aniiikaarr are you listening?" I was looking up at her and cradling her face.

Anika grinned down at me like I was a child that needed looking after "I hear you Babe" then she turned to someone "She should probably go home now"

"Agreed" said the 'someone'.

I removed my head from Anika's chest. The street lights blurring as I moved. Streaking across my vision. Once my vision stopped moving I saw who the 'someone' was.

"KILI, when did you get here?" I said and swapped my hold on Anika to Kili, snuggling into his neck.

"You're my favourite" I breathed into his neck.

My arms wrapped him tightly, I could feel his back muscles through his shirt. His hand was also rubbing down my back comfortingly. It felt so good and warm in his arms, I hummed contentedly.

"You smell so nice" I said, rubbing my nose against the skin of his neck. "It's ilgal. ile. ill. " got there in the end. "We need to run before the police find out"

I made to make a break for it- needing to escape from the imaginary police- but two hands grabbed me before I got the chance. Kili was holding me to him so that I wouldn't wander off.

"You don't need to worry about the police, Leah" Kili said with a laugh in his voice.

A smile stretched out across my face. I liked it when he said my name. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Once again I started burrowing my face into his neck. Could I just stay here.

It didn't last as long as I wanted though because at one point I was shoved into a car. I was very uncooperative and tried to get out again. Where were they going, I wanted to cuddle. At some point I stopped trying to get out of the car and lay my head back against the seat. The world swirled in front of my eyes in not a very pleasant way. Closing my eyes made the spinning worse. So I blearily tried to keep my eyes open. Looking around the area I was in I could see that I was in someone's car. Kili was sat next to me in the back seat.

"Kili!" I smiled.

Reaching for him and wrapped my arm around his and hugged it to me. My head resting on his shoulder. I looked up and could see him smiling down at me.

"You're so pretty" I said, reaching my hand up to his face. My hand ran through his beard. The hair so soft beneath the pads of my fingers. "Pretty smile" One finger traced his bottom lip, his mouth opened in a gasp when I touched it.

"And eyes" I almost poked him in the eye as I reached up to touch them, he managed to grab my hand in time. A bewildered smile on his face.

He was so beautiful and he needed to know it. After I was no longer poking him in the eye he gave me my hand back. I didn't stay still for long. Hand already wandering. It found its way into the locks of Kili's hair. His hair was no longer in a bun and was loose around his shoulders. I ran my fingers through it, twirling locks of his hair around my fingers.

"You're hair is so soft Kili" I murmured, "It's nice to play with"

" you" said Kili breathlessly.

I simply smiled and snuggled further into him. Playing with his hair for the rest of the journey. Before I knew it the car had stopped moving. Kili was suddenly not where he had been and I tilted forward. I made a very disgruntled noise at the loss of contact. A pair of strong hands pushed me back into an upright position. Unceremoniously, I somehow made it out of the car. My feet wouldn't cooperate with me and I swayed. The world was spinning again and this time it was making me feel sick. I think I must have slipped at some point because the ground was suddenly very close.

I never hit the ground though. Everything shifted and suddenly I was in the air. Hair like a waterfall below me. It took me several seconds to realise that I was being carried. Kili had lifted me up and was taking me into the house. A grin spread across my face. He was my saviour.

"You're my knight in shining armour" I slurred.

My knight deserved a reward for helping me. I know. I'll give him a kiss on the cheek. That's what a renaissance princess would do. Fully dedicated to my decision, I reached a hand up to caress his cheek. I used my hand to pull his face towards me and kissed. It wasn't his cheek though. He must have turned slightly too much and it was his lips I had caught instead. His lips grazed mine and my eyelids fluttered closed. A warm feeling spread out from my chest to the tips of my fingers and toes.

"I missed" I sighed, head falling onto his shoulder.

I could still feel the tingle of the kiss against my lips as I drifted off to sleep in his arms

oOo

Kili

It had been a very long day. Fun though. Seeing a wedding from this world was quite strange. It was so similar yet so different than one's he'd attended in the past. Rings were exchanged instead of beads and there were no swords to be found anywhere. Rather strange if you asked him. In a dwarf wedding hand forged weapons were exchanged between the bride and groom. It was supposed to symbolise how they would protect one another. The weapon depended on the individual but most of the time it was a sword.

When he played in the church he looked over at Leah. She was singing so beautifully, he could listen to her all day. Her hair fell perfectly down her back. Hair that he had styled himself. He couldn't believe he had done it himself. Touching her hair to comfort her was one thing but styling it and braiding it was another thing entirely. When he was braiding her hair he was nearly overwhelmed. He tried to tell himself that the feelings were just from being close friends. Deep down he knew that was a lie. What he felt was no longer friendship. It was something much more.

She looked over to him as she sang. An astonishing smile on her lips. A smile rose to his lips unbidden, he couldn't help it. When she stopped singing her eyes were wide and she looked rather worried. He couldn't understand why though, she had sung perfectly. He'd told her that she'd been great but she still looked worried.

Leah remained a little distant through the rest of the day. Too lost in her own thoughts. He would sometimes catch her staring at him. She would look away quickly when he caught her, cheeks turning red. He hoped she would tell him what was bothering her at some point. When they had to perform once more Leah sang perfectly again. She was positioned in front of him this time so she didn't turn to look at him. He was fine just watching her sing though. A smile graced his lips when she hit a particularly tricky note. Kili could see the passion she'd put into her singing. It was something to be admired.

Kili was rather jealous when he saw everyone dancing. It had been so long since he'd been able to. There was always something to celebrate back home. Even when there wasn't the people would make something up. There was always dancing and all the dwarves would join in. It was a very merry affair. That's why he was very saddened when Ellen said that he couldn't join in. He was still rather blue when they got into the car to head home. Leah had seen his mood and suggested that there was a way he could go dancing.

Kili was very eager and may have agreed over enthusiastically. They went to a tavern first, the same one that they went to last time. This time he thankfully didn't need to fight anyone. After a few drinks they had moved onto a 'Club' as Leah called it. Though the only club he knew of was the weapon kind. Apparently it was some kind of dance hall.

Leah was quite tipsy already, she didn't seem to handle alcohol well. She kept trying to poke him in the face for some unknown reason. Kili just laughed and brushed her hand away. When they finally got inside Kili was initially overwhelmed. The music was deafening and mutli-coloured lights flashed across the room. As soon as he recovered he dragged both Leah and Anika onto the dance floor.

At one point Anika had gone to get some drinks which left him and Leah to dance. Her dancing was...something. He guessed what she lacked in dancing she made up for in singing.

"Kili you've got some moves" she yelled "I didn't know how well you could dance".

Considering how often dwarves danced it wasn't surprising that he had picked up a few things. After 77 years you expect to be somewhat proficient.

"And you've got, whatever in Durin's name that is" He said pointing to her as she waved her arms to the music.

She gasped at his accusation making him crack up. "I'm dancing obviously. Maybe you've heard of it" she joked.

That's one word for it, he guessed. Then a thought formed in his mind. He could show her how it's done. Without warning he had grabbed one of her hands and the other had found her waist. Having her this close he nearly lost his composure. She was beautiful. Her eyes shone in the light. It took him a few seconds to regain his thoughts and then he started dancing. With him leading she was a lot better. Her exploding laugh sent warmth right through his chest. He didn't think he'd ever smiled so wide.

When it reached the end of the song he made a split second decision to dip her. The fall made her giggle and her held her with ease. He didn't stand up straight away though. Simply stood there holding her. There faces a mere inch apart. Everything else seemed to fade away. It was only those two. Leah's pupils widened and he could feel her breath across his face. His eyes roamed her face and landed on her lips. Mahal he wanted to kiss her so badly in that moment. He even moved closer, their noses brushing together.

Then Anika had shown up with their drinks. He straightened Leah up quickly and tried to smile innocently. Durin's beard what was he doing? He'd nearly kissed her. What if she didn't feel the same? He could have ruined their friendship. Kili berated himself after that and tried to act as if nothing had happened.

Leah had ended up drinking way more than she should have done. He wasn't even sure how much she drank. This girl did not handle drink well. At one point the bouncer had seen her stumbling and told us we should take her home. We had already agreed to go home by that point and happily left the dance hall. The bun that he had in his hair had started to come out at the back of his head. Swiftly, he pulled the hair tie out and his hair fell back down in ringlets around his face. The air was crisp and cool enough to clear his head slightly. He had drank quite a bit but he was a dwarf and he'd be damned if he couldn't handle his liquor.

Anika was faring better than Leah was. Apparently she went out more often than Leah did. It showed. Leah was currently being led away from the club by Anika. She would not stop complimenting her or telling her how much she loved her.

"I loooove yoooou, babes. Babe bebe be," Leah slurred, half stumbling over a bump in the street.

Anika just about caught her in time "Damn, you're like Bambi on ice"

Kili didn't know who Bambi was but Leah did sort of look like someone who was struggling to stand on a frozen puddle.

Leah continued her drunken babbling to the amusement of Anika."I hear you Babe" then she turned to Kili and told him "She should probably go home now"

"Agreed" he said. She should probably sleep it off.

Leah whirled around then and seemed very surprised to see him there

"KILI! When did you get here?" she yelled as she launched herself at him.

He was unprepared as Leah wrapped her arms around him. Her face was snuggled into his neck. For a moment it felt like he couldn't move. Every nerve ending was alight. She was so close, he could smell the scent of her hair soap.

"You're my favourite" she breathed against his neck.

He barely suppressed a shiver at the sensation. Anika was giving him a knowing grin and he tried to school his expression. Kili ran a hand down her back as Leah did the same to him. One of her hands then started to drag their nails down his back. The sensation jolted through him and he stopped himself from making a noise. Mahal that felt good. As if that wasn't enough suddenly Leah's nose was grazing the skin of his neck. He couldn't breathe.

"You smell so nice" She said "It's ilgal. ile. ill. ...we need to run before the police find out"

He had no idea what she was talking about. However she was suddenly turning around in his arms and trying to run off. Kili grabbed her before she could and held her to him again.

"You don't need to worry about the police, Leah" Kili laughed.

Anika was laughing at her antics too. "I've booked you an uber on Leah's phone so it's already paid for." she said, handing him Leah phone back. "My uber should arrive at pretty much the same time".

"Will you be okay on your own?" he asked, surely she shouldn't be going alone.

"I'll be fine Geri, and anyway and rather not have to share the backseat with that" she pointed to Leah "No offense".

Kili laughed along with her. Leah continued to snuggle him as they waited for the uber. She seemed very reluctant to let go of him when the car arrived. Getting her to sit in it was a nightmare.

"Are you okay from here Kili?" Anika asked

Kili nodded "I think so"

"Well, make sure she doesn't hurt herself and get home safe" Anika gave him a quick hug goodbye before getting into her own uber. Then he was left all alone with a very drunk, very cuddly Leah.

He got into the car and made sure that both of them were fastened in. Leah had sat in the middle and refused to move so he just buckled her into that seat. It took a few moments but Leah realised that he was next to her and her face lit up. Then she firmly attached herself to his arm. She looked up at him with such light in her eyes he couldn't help but smile back.

Then her hand reached up and he felt her fingers gently caress his face "You're so pretty". Her fingers were stroking his beard. Kili froze. His eyes widened. Having someone touch your beard was a big thing. Especially when it's someone you have feelings for. Mahal he couldn't cope. Then as if that wasn't enough one of her fingers started to trace his bottom lip. "Pretty smile" His mouth fell open in a gasp. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. She almost poked him in the eye when he wasn't paying attention "And eyes".

He held her hand to prevent her from poking him further. She thought he was pretty? The thought made his heart sing. After so long being considered an unattractive dwarf it was unbelievable that she considered him pretty.

Kili had stopped holding her hand and it had started to wander again. This time if was in his hair. Time seemed to stop as she ran her fingers through it. He stopped breathing and his heart skipped a beat. Her ministrations sent tingles across his scalp and down his back. He couldn't suppress a shiver this time.

"You're hair is so soft Kili" she murmured, "It's nice to play with"

" you" said Kili breathlessly.

She didn't stop playing with his hair for the rest of the journey. He almost thought his heart was going to burst from his chest. Mahal have mercy.

Soon the house appeared in front of them and Kili hastily opened the door. A little too hasty as Leah started to tip forward. He managed to lift her up and unbuckle her. Clumsily she made it out of the car. Kili thanked the driver before turning towards the house.

Leah did not look very stable on her feet. He was proven right a few seconds later when she tripped over a rock and nearly face planted the floor. Kili managed to reach her before she could hurt herself. After deliberating for a few seconds he decided that it would be easier if he carried her. Swiftly, he lifted Leah into his arms and made his way inside. Opening the door was a bit complicated but he handled it.

He traversed the stairs as quietly as he could. Trying not to wake up Ellen. She probably wouldn't appreciate being disturbed. They were just outside her bedroom door when he heard her speak up again. "You're my knight in shining armour"

Kili gave a breathy laugh at the statement. Next thing he felt her hand against his cheek, pulling him towards her. Kili assumed she wanted to say something else to him so he turned more to look at her. He was wrong. Her lips were on his before he could register it. They were so soft against his own. All rational thought left his mind. At once a strong, overpowering sensation seemed to explode from chest and he nearly dropped her.

She moved her head away from him. Eyes closed and a sleepy smile "I missed". Then she promptly fell asleep.

Leah was asleep while Kili's mind was in chaos. He knew exactly what that sensation meant. All dwarves did. Amad always said that you just knew. He never realised what she meant until that moment.

Leah was his One.

_Seems like things are starting to happen now :)_

_Can't help falling in love- Elvis Presley_

_Thousand years- Christina Perri_

_5678- Steps_


	11. Oh the heart it hurts

_I somehow wrote this whole chapter in a day. __  
__No editing, we use our first draft like men._

The world was pain. And sideways. Everything seemed to list to the left. Oh god. Hungover was too tame a word for what was happening. A pain was pulsing directly behind my eyelids. With each heartbeat the pain would flare up. My stomach muscles spasmed and nausea permeated my very being. Eugh. I needed to move before I threw up.

Cracking my eyes open slightly I tried to gauge my surroundings. The light sent sharp pains across my head. I screwed my eyes tight to try and neutralise it. Taking several deep breaths to quell the sudden nausea as well. After a few breaths I steeled myself and opened my eyes again. It wasn't as painful this time and I took it as a sign that I should move. With increased difficulty I managed to get myself into an upright position. The room spun as I moved and I knew had to reach the bathroom quickly.

Half stumbling and banging into walls, I managed to reach the bathroom in time for me to throw up. After it seemed to stop I rested my head on my arm- which was balanced on the toilet seat- just in case another bout of nausea rose up. My body ached and I knew I wouldn't be able to move for a while. Good lord I hadn't been this bad in so long. Normally I stopped drinking when I reached a certain point of tipsy. However I think my nerves last night had gotten the better of me resulting in the mess you see before you.

I could remember bits and pieces about last night. Most of it was still there, I remembered dancing and laughing. However parts towards the end of the night were very fuzzy. Like I had no idea how I had gotten home. Thankfully I did. Being unable to remember parts of the night left me feeling very uneasy. I hated being unable to recall things that had happened. What if I had been a complete asshole or something? I don't think I had been though. Anika had informed me, in the past, that I was a rather love-y drunk. So I was more likely to hug you and tell you how good you look rather than start a fight.

I had no idea how long I lay there. Time was still too syrupy for me to comprehend. My eyes had closed at one point and I'm pretty sure I had fallen asleep. I was jostled awake by someone's hand on my shoulder. Opening my eyes blearily I tried to see who it was. The image was blurry and my hair was in front of my eyes blocking my view. Thankfully, the person reached over and picked up the hair from my eyes and placed it behind my ear. Now unobstructed I could see that it was Kili. His eyebrows were drawn together, looking very concerned. He also seemed strangely vulnerable and uncertain. Probably unsure what to do about how to handle me being ill. Yeah I'm sure that's it.

"Are you okay?" Kili asked.

A red blush spread across his cheeks when I looked him in the eyes. That was an odd reaction. Kili didn't usually blush. He usually left that to me. However I didn't put much more thought into it as the feelings of my insides dying held more precedence in that moment.

"Mmmeh" I groaned, lips curling downwards sadly.

Kili let out a small laugh at the noise I made.

"Don't laugh my pain" I pleaded halfheartedly.

"I'm not, I promise." he said, though it was still with a smile on his face. "Come on you'll feel better somewhere that's not a bathroom"

Kili reached under my armpits and went to lift me to my feet. I grumbled momentarily but realised that it was stupid to resist. It probably would be better if I wasn't clinging to a toilet for dear life. My legs were shaky but they stayed up underneath me. Realising that I wasn't going to collapse Kili let go of my arms. I didn't have as much confidence in my abilities as Kili seemed to though. Not wanting to risk falling, I looped my arm through Kili's and held on. Kili jumped a little at the surprise contact but then started to lead me out of the bathroom.

When we got into the hallway I could see Mum just leaving her room. She saw us and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my days Leah. How much did you drink last night?" Mum said with a laugh in her voice.

I wonder what clued her in to the fact that I drank a lot. Was it the birds nest hair? Was it the fact that I was still wearing the same dress from yesterday? Or my very pale complexion and pained stare? It's hard to tell really.

My free hand reached up and rubbed my weary eyes. "I need love and sympathy right now Mum I'm fragile"

"Okay Miss Fragile, go back to bed and I'll bring you some water and a bowl" mum laughed, shaking her head before heading downstairs.

Kili then led me back into my room and lay me down on my bed. The pillows had been rearranged so that I could be vaguely sitting up. As I climbed into bed, my body protested at all the movement. I felt so shaky. Honestly it felt like if you shook me hard enough I would disintegrate like a dry sandcastle. Just a pile of atoms on the floor.

Mum arrived with a water bottle and a bowl in case I needed to be sick again. She also handed me some pain killers. Hopefully I didn't throw them back up before they could be useful. Mum warned me to sip my water rather than gulp it before she left my room. Leaving me to my own pit of despair. Well I wasn't quite alone. Kili hadn't left me just yet. He had milled about awkwardly in the corner while Mum had been sorting things out.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked, coming to stand closer to the bed.

"Not great" I said "But better than being on the bathroom floor"

"That's good then" He looked away then, his hand was worrying the sleeve of his shirt "Can you remember much about last night?" he said it in a jokey manner but I could tell that there was something underlying the question.

"Oh god did I do something stupid" I groaned. I knew I'd done something but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "Did I get us kicked out of the club or something?"

"No, no...well actually we were politely asked to take you home by one of the guards outside" Kili smiled down at me.

Guards? Oh wait he meant the bouncers didn't he. Calling them guards made them sound so much cooler though.

I had a sense that, that wasn't the thing Kili had wanted me to remember though. My mind was drawing a blank. Looking back up to Kili, I went to ask what I'd done. My eyes were then drawn to his hair and a memory swam to the surface. We were in a car I think- must have been the taxi- and my hands were in Kili's hair. Running my fingers through the strands.

"Oh god" I covered my face with my hands at my realisation "I touched your hair didn't I?"

I was mortified. That was such an invasion of personal space. Especially considering that he was a dwarf. I'd basically assaulted the poor guy.

Kili's face reddened slightly "Well… yes. But you shouldn't feel bad about it" he said trying to comfort me. "We could call it even I guess considering I braided yours yesterday." He had now gone bright red and refused to look in my direction.

"I'm really sorry Kili" I said. He turned back to me then, seeming to be more calm now. "I'll have to make it up to you somehow" preferably when I'm not five seconds away from throwing up.

"You could always make me some more of those scotch eggs" he said with a smile.

"Scotch eggs it is then" I smiled back

oOo

I did make him some scotch eggs but it was a few days later when I wasn't so delicate. He had been very appreciative of them. However I wanted to make him something better. Something he could keep. I wasn't sure where the idea had sprung from but once it was there I couldn't stop thinking about it. That led me to rush to a crafts shop and hope Kili had no idea what I was doing. Anika had agreed to help me as well. So I went over to Anika's house while Kili was doing his sword practice.

It was going to be a scrapbook. Of all of Kili's time here. There were plenty of photos to go into it as Kili was never shy about a camera. Anika helped me choose which photos to put into it. There were ones of Kili with Anika and her family. Ones with Mum and I. There was some from when we'd taken Kili to the zoo. He had been amazed by the aquariums. Mostly though the photos were just of Kili and I.

Deep down I knew this was more than a 'sorry' present. This was something I would have wanted to make him regardless. He should have a piece of this world when he goes back.

When he goes back.

I had been thinking about it a lot more recently. There were times when it felt like the sand in an hour glass was reaching its end. A tingling feeling in the back of your neck. Anticipatory. Like you were holding your breath waiting for something to happen. Most of the time I just pushed the feeling down. I was being silly. Kili wasn't going to leave yet. If I thought about it for too long though my stomach would drop and I'd struggle to breathe for a moment.

When the scrapbook was done I was very pleased with it. The book itself was made out of a leather type material. I knew it wasn't real leather, I'm not made of money. It was a darkish blue in colour with a gold picture of planet Earth embossed into the cover. Inside was the photos I had printed off. There was little descriptions next to each one to help Kili remember them better. At the back there had been blank pages where you could write things. I didn't want to leave them blank so I decided to write in the lyrics to some of his favourite songs. That way he could sing them in Middle Earth if he wanted to. It had been difficult to choose songs though as he seemed to say that everything was his favourite. In the end I chose the ones that I definitely remember him enjoying. Anika had drew some little pictures beside each song for me. She was a lot better at drawing than I was.

I wanted to give it to him as soon as I had finished it. I managed to stop myself though. This deserved a cool moment. One that wasn't just me rushing into his room, dropping and running away. An idea came to mind about one of the forests near where I lived. It just suddenly appeared in my head and I knew it was the perfect place to go. The woods were in walking distance and there was some wonderful little sights there. Meadows of wild flowers and a large lake in the middle. It was very romantic but if I thought about that for too long my face would go red and my heart rate would pick up.

Kili agreed to come with me. Very eager and wholehearted. I kept the scrapbook in my backpack as we walked over. Conversation flowed easily between us. After my realisation I had managed to reign it in and not make as much of a fool of myself. Though I still blushed whenever Kili got close.

We trekked through the forest for around an hour before we stopped in a little field. Wild flowers sprouted up along the path. Blue, red, yellow, pink. They were beautiful. A small bench appeared along the side of the path and I decided it was a good time for a break.

I swung my backpack off of my shoulders and sat down heavily. It felt nice to sit after all that walking. Kili plonked down next to me. He didn't look as tired as I was. Selfish really.

"Feels good to sit down" Kili said. He reached into his own bag and pulled out a water bottle.

"Agreed" I took the water bottle after he'd had a drink and gulped it down. It was nice and cold thanks to the small ice pack inside it.

My backpack was in my lap and the scrapbook felt like a lead weight. I should probably show it to him soon. My heart rate picked up at the thought of giving it to him. Why was I so nervous? It wasn't like he was going to reject it. I mean he wouldn't, would he? Why did my anxiety have to strike now? I keep over thinking things.

Before I could back out I spoke up "Hey Kili" he looked up at me when I said his name. The eye contact wasn't helping my nerves so I looked away quickly. Blush forming on my cheeks. "I made you something" I said playing with the zip on my backpack.

"Is it food because I'm starving" he joked.

"How are you still hungry, you've already eaten all of the lunch we packed" I said, thankful for the break of tension.

"I'm a growing dwarf"

"Bullshit, I already know you're full grown" I smiled.

He laughed back and then raised an eyebrow. Waiting for me to continue. Well I've got to show him now haven't I?

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, before unzipping my bag. It was at the bottom, hidden beneath a jacket. After some maneuvering I wrestled the book out of the bag and placed it on Kili's lap. His eyes widened at the sight. Clearly it wasn't what he had been expecting.

His fingers traced the planet symbol on the front "Wha. What is it?"

"Open it" I said, nudging his shoulder.

Carefully, he opened the front page. A gasp fell from his lips when he saw the contents. The photos and there little descriptions lay before him. An amazed smile spread across his face as he flicked through the pages.

"This is. This is amazing" he said, wonder in his voice. "You made this? For me?"

I nodded. There was so much emotion in his eyes it made my heart race.

"Look at the back" I flipped some of the pages so you could see the songs at the back "They're song lyrics. I thought you would like to remember them"

His hand was tracing the pages, looking at the details in them.

"So you like it?" I asked

"Like it? I love it Leah." then he paused briefly with doubtful smile "Though it does make the gift I made you rather lackluster in comparison"

"You made me something" I gasped.

I had not been expecting that. The fact that he had made me a present sent warm feelings across my chest. Kili then reached into his own bag and brought out something. It was small enough to fit into his hands and he was hiding it from my view.

"Give me your wrist" he said quietly. "And close your eyes"

I handed him my left wrist, an eyebrow raised questioningly. He gave me a pointed look and I closed my eyes. A smile gracing my face. I felt him grab my hand before slipping something on my wrist. He fiddled with something then the thing got tighter and formed to my wrist. A bracelet? After a few more adjustments Kili said I could open my eyes. I gasped when I saw it.

It was a cuff bracelet made out of leather. A leather braid snaked along the top and bottom of the cuff. It tied together on the inside of my wrist. Along the middle I saw that there were runes carved into the leather. On either side of the runes, geometric shapes had been cut out so I could see my skin beneath. Now I know what all the swatches of leather were for that he had hidden from me before.

"Kili you made this?" I said, a huge smile on my face.

Kili had started to blush, a hand rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I know it's not much. If I had more materials I could make it better. Add some jewels and a clasp"

I put my hand on his cheek to stop his rambling. Making him look at me. "I love it as it is Kili, it's amazing. I can't believe you made this"

Kili leaned more into my hand and the happiest smile spread across his face. "I'm glad you like it" he breathed.

It would be so easy to kiss him right now. Just lean forward slightly and I could. I tried to calm my racing heart. I needed to stop being silly. Kili wouldn't want that right? Of course he wouldn't be having the same feelings as me. Even if he did make me this amazing gift.

I dropped my hand away from his face. For a second his eyes looked sad at the loss of contact but it was gone in an instant. I must have imagined it.

"So is this Khuzdul then?" I asked, running my finger along the runes.

"Er yes" he said, looking a bit nervous.

"Does it say penis?" I joked, trying to break the tension.

He laughed suddenly in surprise "Yes that's exactly what it says" his previous nervousness seemed to vanish.

I laughed too "So what does it really say?"

"No, no it says penis" he said, a smug grin on his face.

"Oh come on, I know it doesn't actually say that, "

He didn't budge though and refused to tell me what it really said. I'd get it out of him at some point though.

oOo

After having a little rest we decided to go for a wander again. This time off of the path. I felt like I vaguely knew where I was going. I'm sure that there was a good view up the hill a bit. Kili packed the scrapbook into his own bag and followed me. As we walked, my hand kept wandering towards the cuff and I'd smile. He had made this for me, with his own two hands. It was more thoughtful than any store bought gift would be. More work had gone into this than had gone into my gift for Kili. I could tell. Kili hadn't thought so though. He seemed to think that it wasn't good enough but I'd beg to differ.

It was a beautiful day and the sunlight shone through the trees. The air was crisp and I could hear wildlife all around us. We had stopped at the bottom of a small incline. I wasn't sure which way we were supposed to go next.

"I can't remember if we're supposed to go up this bit or make our way round it first" I said puzzled, I looked at Kili hoping for some inspiration.

"Don't look at me, your supposed to be the expert here" he said with a smile.

"I know" I sighed. Then an idea came to mind "I think if I wander up there for a minute I'd be able to see if that was the way" I said pointing up the hill. "You wait here I won't be 5 minutes"

"Well don't get lost please" said Kili.

"Have more faith in me," I said, giving his shoulder a shove.

I gave Kili a mock salute before clambering up the hill. He gave me a small laugh but thankfully remained where he was. The hill was a little steeper than I had previously thought and I was rather breathless. Towards the top I could see a small track off to the side. Not the most visible as it had been made by only a few people. I remembered following that little path with Mum once. So this was the way we were supposed to go.

I was just about to turn back when my body froze. The air crackled like static and it was suddenly hard to breathe. The hairs on my body stood on end and my heart raced in my chest. This wasn't the first time this had happened. The last time was… Oh no

"Kili!" I yelled.

Without preamble I raced back down the hill. Nearly tripping several times. My hands were grazed by the tree branches but I didn't care. I could hear it now, picking up on the wind. That strange alien humming that drew you closer. Only this time it wasn't me that it was drawing in. I couldn't feel the same pull as last time. But it was drawing someone.

"Kili!" I yelled again but I couldn't see him.

I had made it to the bottom of the hill but I still couldn't see him. Panic had started to set in and It felt like I couldn't get a breath. Whipping my head around I tried to locate him.

That's when I saw the white light. Shining through the trees. I raced towards it without a second thought. It was the same as last time. Shards of shattered reality floating through the air. The near blinding light that emanated out.

And a shadow of Kili in the centre.

NO.

I got there in time to watch the pieces of reality fit back together. But Kili was gone.

oOo

Kili

Leah didn't remember kissing him. He didn't tell her though. Though he would never admit it, the reason he hadn't was because he was scared. Scared in case she had not meant to kiss him that night and that her feelings were very different from his own. He tried to play it cool and pretend he was unaffected. However the fact that she was his One never left his mind. It was like he had physically changed. It may not outwardly look it but Kili could feel it, in his heart.

He would do anything for her.

Kili had already started making the bracelet long before he had found out she was his one. He couldn't say, at the time, why he had started it. Now he realised that he probably instinctively knew something. A gift like this was a courting gift, plain and simple. Anyone from back home would automatically know as soon as they saw it. Leah probably wouldn't though. He would have to explain it. The thought made his stomach do weird flips.

He had altered the bracelet slightly since his revelation. What was once blank now contained Khuzdul runes. Amrâlimê. Love of Leah had asked him if he wanted to go for a walk he had agreed eagerly. It would be a chance for Kili to give her the gift. He hoped that she would accept it.

The nerves started to creep in the further they walked. He would have to show it to her at some point. But whenever he would go to he somehow ended up talking himself out of it. It wasn't the right moment or the setting was wrong. In actuality, he realised that he was just stalling.

When they finally sat down he had decided to just suck it up and give her the bracelet. He had even reached into his bag to get it. Then at the very last moment he had grabbed the water bottle instead. He just needed a drink first, that was it. Leah had readily accepted the water off of him. Both of them had worked up quite a thirst from the walk.

What Leah did next shocked him greatly. It seemed she had beaten him to the punch and had gotten him a gift. She had made him a gift! His heart nearly burst when he saw it. It was the most amazing present anyone had ever given him. It was those pictures, that were so lifelike. It was him and Leah. He knew that Leah probably wouldn't see the significance of the gift. Wouldn't realise that it was essentially a courting gift also. It didn't stop the wave of joy that filled his heart though.

His own gift seemed to pale in comparison. If he'd had access to the crafting materials back in Ered Luin he would have been able to craft something far grander. Leah had stopped him wallowing and worrying though. She loved it.

His eyes had brimmed with such emotion at her declaration. She loved something that he had made for her. There was no greater feeling. Her hand was on his cheek. Last time it was there she had kissed him. He silently hoped that it would happen again. Maybe he should lean in this time. But then her hand had moved and the moment was gone. He was saddened for a second but he didn't let it spoil his mood. He had already gotten more than he hoped for.

"So is this Khuzdul then?" she asked, her fingers traced the runes he had carved there. The runes that said 'Love of mine' in khuzdul.

"Er yes" he said nervously.

Oh Mahal, he would have to tell her now. He could feel his mouth go dry. What would she say?

"Does it say penis?" She laughed

Her response surprised him so much that he immediately broke down laughing. The tension melted away. "Yes that's exactly what it says"

"So what does it really say?"

He thought for a moment before deciding that it would be funnier if he didn't tell her what it said. It would also be easier on his nerves. He'd have to tell her further down the line.

"No, no it says penis" he said, a smug grin on his face.

Her face was priceless.

Leah had then decided that they should venture off the beaten track. At first she seemed to know where she was going. Following some route her mother had taken her on a few times. She would reach certain points though, where she had to stop and try to remember where to go. That led to them being at the bottom of a slight hill with Leah debating whether they needed to go over it or around it. She had volunteered to climb up and see if it jogged her memory. Kili left her to it.

He had leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. Deciding to wait for her there. His mind had drifted as he waited. Recalling her face when he gave her the gift. Wanting to look through his own. However his thoughts were violently cut off. A shock ran through him, like being dunked in freezing cold water out of the blue. Every nerve ending was firing. He was alert and looking around for the source of his upset.

A strange humming was emanating from the trees behind him. It was like a song or a spell. Kili was drawn towards it. He stumbled through a copse of trees to get towards the sound. That's when he saw it. The same light that had brought him into this world. It was here to take him home.

He didn't run to it though. He hesitated. His mind and heart split in two. Why couldn't he have both worlds? Before he could make a decision though, a sound emitted from the centre of the doorway.

"KILI!"

It was his brother. His brother was calling for him. There was such pain in his voice. The sound of loss and hopelessness.

"FILI!" he shouted back, his hand reached out.

The portal didn't wait for him to move. It must have taken his shout as confirmation. One moment it was several metres away and the next it was in front of him. It had moved in less time than it had taken him to blink. The light had enveloped him immediately. It was cold and pressed in on him from all sides. For a second he couldn't breathe, his lungs burning. The next second he had been spat out on the other side.

When he tried to open his eyes he was blinded. He reached his hand up to cover his eyes before trying again. The world slowly grew into focus. Clouds covered the sky, a big contrast to the blue skies he had just been under. The earth beneath his feet was sodden and clung to his boots. Trees, he realised, surrounded him. He was still in some kind of forest. Wait, he knew this forest. It was the same forest he had been in before he left. The one outside of his home. He also knew the dwarf standing several metres in front of him crying his name.

Fili.

The relief upon seeing his brother nearly made him collapse. It had been so long. The longest time they had ever spent apart. Tears had started rolling down his cheeks before he even realised it.

"FILI!" he yelled with all his heart.

Fili nearly fell over with how fast he turned around. The relief that exuded from the dwarf was palpable. The anguish that had been on Fili's face dropped and tears rose unbidden in his eyes. They ran towards each other. Couldn't get there fast enough. When both of them were close enough they crashed into each other's arms. Both of them released a breath. His brother sounded like he'd surfaced from deep water. Fili planted his forehead onto Kili's. A proper, dwarven show of affection and love. Tears streamed down both of their faces.

"Kili you're alive" Fili's voice was tight with emotion. All the fear and relief flooded out of him.

Kili held onto his brother as if his life depended on it. It was Fili. He was really here.

"What is that?" Fili said, uncertainty filling his voice.

Kili turned around to see the portal. It was still there but it was closing. With Leah on the other side.

"NOOO" he reached out, begging it to stop. He couldn't lose her. Not now.

It didn't stop and the doorway closed. The edges melting away to nothing.

"Leah!" he yelled, sinking to the floor.

She was gone.

oOo

Leah (England- Earth)

He was gone.

How could he be gone?

I had fooled herself into thinking that it would never actually happen. That everything would work out somehow. But it was inevitable wasn't it? He had to go home at some point. It didn't stop my heart from breaking though. When the portal had closed I had fallen to the ground. My feet couldn't carry me anymore. A sob ripped its way out of my throat.

He was gone.

I couldn't breathe. Every breath became a cry. Not enough oxygen was getting into my body and it spurred my panic attack more. I lost all sense of my surroundings. All I could feel was the burn in my throat and the stabbing pain in my chest. God knows how long I lay like that on the forest floor. There was no Kili this time to calm me down. Somehow, I managed to centre myself enough to realise my surroundings. I needed to get home and I was in the middle of the woods, off the beaten track.

I took several deep, gulping breaths. In 4. Hold 4. Out 4. Repeat. Right I needed to prioritise. Getting home was the first task. Mental breakdown would have to be postponed until later. Shaky legged, I managed to stand up and readjust my backpack. Tears still fell from my eyes but I pushed down the bigger panic. It threatened to spill over at any moment. However I was in control for now.

The trip back was awful. Between the tears, pain and the fear of being lost I can safely say it was my worst experience in a forest ever. Actually scratch that. Being attacked by a warg probably still held the top spot. This situation had less grievous bodily harm than the last one. That's the only upside I guess.

Once I found my way back to the path I half sprinted down it. Wanting to be out of this forest as soon as possible. It had taken Kili and I an hour to walk it. Thankfully it had been a slow walk and it didn't take nearly as long to jog back. By the time I made it back to civilisation I must have looked like a demented witch. Out of breath and half wild. Bits of tree and dirt clinging to my clothes. My eyes were bloodshot and tears tracked marks down my face.

I made it back to my house and nearly fell through the door. All my energy was spent. Between having a breakdown and jogging I was close to collapsing. I must have made a lot of noise as I crashed through the door as Mum shot in the living room from the kitchen. Her eyes widened at the state I was in and she rushed over to me. Her arms opened and I fell into them.

"What happened? Are you okay? Where's Kili?" she stammered.

Being in Mum's arms and safe I finally let my emotions out. "He. he's gone" I blurted.

"Gone, what do you mean gone?" it sounded like all the breath had left her.

"It came back Mum. He's gone home. He's gone" I stood slightly out of the hug and looked up at her.

Mum's face fell. Like a mask she had been holding onto for so long had slipped and fallen from her face. There was such pain in her eyes, I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"No" she said, barely a whisper. "He can't be gone Leah"

"I saw it, the light, it was the same as last time"

"But I needed to go with him. We needed to" Mum had covered her mouth with her hand. Tears were in her eyes and her voice sounded strangled. "I can't stay like this. We needed to go with him"

She wasn't making any sense. Why did we need to go with him? I mean yeah she had mentioned it but I didn't think she had been serious.

"Mum what do you mean?" I was scared now. I didn't know how to comfort her or why she was acting this way.

Mum half fell to the ground. She just about caught herself on the settee. Sobs started escaping her mouth.

"Mum?" I reached for her, tears in my voice "What do you mean? You need to tell me. I can't help if I don't know"

Mum had always been so stable, to see her crumble like this scared me beyond words. She sobbed a few more times, trying to get her breath. After a few seconds she was still enough to speak.

"Do you remember what I told you when that doorway first showed up?"

What was it she had said? "Something about dad?" I asked, unsure. "You'd said that it made you think of him but I'm still not sure why"

Mum nodded "I didn't tell you the whole truth. I didn't want you to worry and I'd hoped…" Mum broke off with a sob. "I had hoped that we would be able to follow Kili".

I was so confused. My eyes implored Mum to continue, I needed to know.

"When that portal had opened it did make me think of your dad. But the reason it did was because it made me feel whole again. I hadn't even realised that I was broken, I thought I had healed after he died. But it was like my soul had been missing a piece and it was back. I was whole again.

Then it closed. It was like a guillotine slicing me in half. I was broken again. Only this time I knew I was. I couldn't be blissfully ignorant anymore. It hurt so badly. It still hurts" Mum clutched her chest, right over her heart.

New tears had sprung in my eyes at my Mum's words. She was in pain and I couldn't help her.

"We were supposed to follow him" she cried "He's there, I can feel it. If we were there I wouldn't feel like this anymore"

I held Mum as she cried; not knowing what else to do. Was she right? I was so confused about this whole situation. Surely dad couldn't be on the other side of that portal. That would mean he was in Middle Earth and that made no sense. Dad had died. He hadn't been transported anywhere. There's a body at the cemetery to prove it.

When Mum had stopped crying, I coerced her into her own bed. Mum's face had gone blank and she was staring at nothing.

oOo

A week went by and things didn't get any better. Mum appeared to perk up but I knew it was fake. She was trying to keep up appearances for me. I knew she was. But I was scared to call her out on it. I wanted her to not have to hide anything. However there was a doubt in my mind when I tried to tell her. Maybe she was doing it for herself as well. If I brought it up she might crumble again.

You would think that the anticipatory feeling would have gone away as soon as Kili had left. However it still remained in the back of my head. It was somehow worse than before. The feeling of being on the edge of a knife. Or like something was going to crash any minute. It was awful. I found it difficult to concentrate on much.

Anika was around as often as she could be. Hugging me and helping me get through it. She still tried to make me smile even when I was crying. Her being there did help. It felt good being able to confide in someone who already knew all the weird shit that was going on. However It was hard on Anika as well. We'd all hung out together so many times these past few months. She and Kili had been good friends.

Anika was over at my house again in that moment. She was trying to distract me by putting the new season of queer eye on. I was only half watching it though. The other half of my brain was once again worrying about Mum. She had been weird again that morning. But a different weird. Mum had seemed far away and in her own thoughts. Suddenly, she had been eager to leave the house. Apparently there was something she needed to do. It was out of nowhere and I couldn't stop her before she had gone out the door and drove off. It made me nervous. My hands fiddled with my hair incessantly. Unable to silence my anxiety.

A pillow slapped my hands out of my hair for the umpteenth time that day.

"Stop messing with it you're gonna make your hair fall out" Anika said.

"I'm sorry" I said, resisting the urge to braid my hair again.

I turned my head back to the screen, trying to concentrate on the episode. It lasted all of a second before it felt like the air was forced from my body. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I could feel an electric charge hanging in the air. Less than a second later an almighty CRASH exploded from the front of the house. The room shook and the glass in the window shattered. Nearly hitting Anika and I. Both of us screamed in terror. Anika had grabbed me and pulled me backwards.

Both of us looked out at the destruction. What had caused it? Tip toeing forward, I tried to avoid the glass. That's when I saw it. Again. The portal was there. It blocked the window so we couldn't see anything outside of it. Anika grabbed my hand and squeezed tightly. I was grateful for the stability in that moment.

Then suddenly- like all the times before-it melted back into reality. Shattered pieces fitting back together. Once it had disappeared I could actually see outside. It was a car. It must have crashed into the side of the house. But it wasn't just any car. It was Mum's. And Mum wasn't anywhere to be seen. She was gone.

oOo

I knew it was coming for me next. Don't ask me how I knew, I could just feel it in my gut. I'd told Anika as much. She had held onto me in a panic. None of us knew what to do. One thing I did know however was that I couldn't go to Middle Earth unprepared. If I did then who knows what could happen to me. It may have been a fantasy but a lot of bad things could still happen. The thought of Mum there on her own made me feel sick.

Both of us somehow broke out of our panic and tried to gather things together. I found one of the hiking backpacks we'd used all those months ago in the coat cupboard. There was also a sleeping bag that could slot onto the top. It wasn't very thick but it was better than nothing. There was already a firestarter in the bag. I handed made a fire in a long time but I could probably make one in an emergency.

Anika went through all my clothes and tried to find the best ones. I needed something where I wouldn't stand out too badly but would also function well. That meant that quite a few were unsuitable. Anika found some of my hiking trousers though and we put those in my bag. I put in as many pairs of underwear as I dared. Sports bras were also put in the bag in lieu of normal ones.

When we were looking through clothes it had given me an idea. I found it folded up in one of Kili's drawers. It was the shirt that Kili had arrived in. Mum had gotten in patched up buy a tailor and it was nearly as good as new. lifting up the heavy material I brought it to my face. I'm sure Kili wouldn't mind if I borrowed it. I convinced myself that I was just simply returning it to its owner. Self-consciously, I looked around before slipping the shirt over my head. There was a lot of room in the shoulders and the sleeves dangled past my hands. Rolling the sleeves up a few times seemed to do the trick though. I felt strangely giddy. Even in the wake of all this chaos. It's sort of what a kid feels like when they put on an adults shirt, I guess. Like you know it's not yours and the size difference is funny.

I shook my head and tried to focus more. That's when I saw Kili's dagger. It was on his bedside table. Reaching out I picked it up. The blade slid out of its leather sheath easily. It was very angular. Straight most of the way across but then came to a very sharp triangular point. Dwarves did seem to love geometric shapes. They were very Art Deco. The weight was quite light. It was probably made for throwing around.

Slipping it back into its sheath, I deliberated. It would probably be better if I had some form of protection with me. I slipped it into the bag when I went back into my room. Anika raised an eyebrow at the shirt but didn't say anything. She had sorted out some toiletries while I was gone. A toothbrush, mini hairbrush, shampoo bar etc. Anika told me it would probably be better to have one bar of soap than many bottles. Less to carry that way. She had also found a diva cup. The one used for periods. I'd never used it but it would be better than bleeding in a forest, I guess.

Both of us spoke as if this wasn't happening. As if we were simply packing for a trip. I don't think it had quite clicked in yet. But the feeling of foreboding was getting bigger. It weighed heavier on me with each passing second.

Night was fast approaching. We had packed everything we could think of and double checked it again. There were a few photos that I had shoved into my bag as well. I couldn't go without some memories. At some point, I had put on my coat and my walking boots. Both of us were sat outside in the garden. Now we'd had chance to sit I think the whole situation came crashing down on us at once. Anika burst into tears and wrapped her arms around me

"I don't want you to go" She cried "You're my best friend"

"I know" I replied, tears in my eyes too.

"I love you, you know that right?" Anika said

"I love you too"

Anika leaned back. Her hands caressed my face. "You are going to be the best thing Middle Earth has ever seen. Do you hear me? You are going to find your Mum and marry a dwarf and everyone will be happy" She said through tears.

I gave a watery smile and nodded. She left no room for argument.

Then I reached up to Anika's face. "And you are going to be happy. With a loving family. And you're going to be the best English teacher that ever lived"

We both laughed sadly.

I could feel it then. The humming came first and this time it was me it was drawing in. A light bloomed behind me. It reflected in Anika's scared eyes. I gave Anika a crushing hug. Hoping to imbue with as much love as possible. If this was the last time I'd see her then I wanted to make sure she knew how much she meant to me. Anika held me tightly.

I was the first one to break away. The humming song had gotten louder and harder to ignore.

"I love you" Anika said, one last time.

"I love you too" I said.

Then the light swallowed me up.

_We're finally in Middle Earth now my dudes. I'm excited to get into the actual hobbit story now._


	12. I'm stuck in space and time

Kili (Ered Luin- Middle Earth)

He was home. Of course he was happy. But it was tainted with loss. How could his one be from another world? One that he couldn't reach and was now lost to him. Could fate really be this cruel to him? To give him someone to love only to snatch them away as soon as he realised his feelings. Losing a loved one was hard enough but losing a 'One' didn't bear thinking about.

Reuniting with his family had been a light in the darkness, at least. Fili had rushed them both home as fast as he could. Dragging a devastated Kili behind him. Seeing his home felt surreal. After spending so long in a different world the differences were startling. As soon as Kili reached the mountain he was swarmed by a big group of dwarves. All over the moon to see him. They patted him heavily on the back and gave him crushing hugs. Some were crying, happy tears. Their prince had returned from the supposed grave after all.

His Amad nearly barrelled him over with how fast she ran towards him. Tears were streaming down her face and she was babbling was near incoherent. Seeing her made Kili crumble. He held onto her so tightly. His own tears breaching his eyes. Home, he was home. A Strong hand gripped onto his left shoulder. Kili saw that it belonged to his Uncle Thorin. He would give him a hug as soon as his Amad relinquished her grip on him.

When his Amad leaned back her eyes widen and her nose wrinkled in confusion. She brought her hand up to his face. Her hands touching his beard.

"You're beard Kili. It's grown" her voice was a mixture of pride and confusion.

He wasn't surprised by her confusion. Before he left his lack of beard was a source of contention. There were some people who had outwardly mocked him. Obviously they never spoke up when his family was around. They would have probably lost a limb.

"And what in Durin's name are you wearing?" That was Dwalin who had been standing in the corner. His brother, Balin, was standing next to him.

Kili looked down at his attire. He was currently wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with tiny people on. Leah said they were 'astronauts' but he hadn't understood the reference. His trousers were a bright green which matched his bright green zip up hoodie. He had so much to explain he didn't even know where to begin.

"You go missing for a week and you come back with a beard, new clothes. Mahal! I saw you fall off a cliff and you're not even injured." said Fili there was a laugh in his voice but he was verging on hysterics.

Kili wheeled around towards Fili. Shock clear on his face "A Week! Fili I've been gone for months!"

"What?!" echoed from many dwarves.

He had a lot of explaining to do.

oOo

At first they struggled to believe him. It wasn't surprising. His situation was without a doubt one of the craziest things that had ever happened. However, once the evidence started piling up they had no choice but to believe him. His clothes were surely not of this world. The lack of injuries from a warg attack. Fili himself had seen the portal that his brother had fallen out of. What had cemented his claims however, were the pictures in his bag. Kili had searched the bag for anything that could back him up. When his gaze fell upon the book he let out a gasp. His chest clenched painfully and a tears brimmed his eyes. He blinked them away quickly, hoping no one noticed.

Kili had picked up the book and opened it to a random page. He hadn't even looked through the book himself yet so the pictures there were a surprise to him also. When he had shown his family their eyes nearly bulged out of their head. Their awe was palpable. They'd never seen anything like it. A painting so clear and true to life. After that they believed wholeheartedly.

They wanted to know everything. Kili tried his best but even he didn't understand quite a lot of the world he'd just vacated. Some of the answers he gave were complete guesses. He didn't worry about it though. After all they would never be able to prove him otherwise.

The idea of a world with only the race of Men and no magic was the biggest source of confusion. How did they survive? What do you mean they don't have any Valar? How was their world created then? Kili did struggle with answering those questions.

After hours of back and forth Kili was well and truly exhausted. He could feel it in his bones and his limbs felt so heavy. His family had planned to hold a feast in his honour but he didn't think he could handle it. Thankfully his Amad had swooped in and saved him. She managed to get the feast postponed for few days. He needed to recover after all. Eventually, most of the dwarves had gone leaving only Thorin, his Amad and Fili.

Kili was sat in front of the fire, staring into the dancing flames. Amad came and sat on his left side, Fili on the other. Thorin remained standing near the fire, arms crossed against his chest. Kili's head fell onto his Amad's shoulder as soon as she sat down. He was so tired. Today had been too much for his mind to cope with in one go. Closing his eyes, he tried to block out the world. If only for a moment. The scrapbook was a comforting weight on his lap. He had refused to part with it. Even when he was showing everyone; he made sure that no one else held it.

"Kili" his Amad jostled him from his reverie.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She had a small smile on her face but her eyes were still full of concern for her youngest child. Her eyes then drifted towards the scrapbook in his lap.

"Will you tell me about them? The people in the paintings" her voice was so soft as if she feared he would break if she spoke too loudly.

His heart clenched painfully. He wasn't sure if he could speak about them yet. The loss was too fresh. However, when he looked around he realised that he was surrounded by the people who loved him most in this world. They cared about him and wanted to know that he had been safe. Seeing their faces after so long away gave him enough courage to tell them.

Steeling himself, he opened the book on his lap. Flicking through to find the best pictures to show them.

"This is Lady Ellen Orrison" Kili said, pointing to one of the pictures in front of him. It had been taken the day he had performed for the wedding. He chose to stick with formalities when introducing people.

"She was one of the people that were there when I first arrived in that other world. She was formidable enough to scare away a warg with nothing more than a branch" his mouth quirked at the memory. It still astounded him that she had accomplished such a feat. "She made sure that my wounds were tended to and gave me a place to stay. I was given food and clothes and everything I could ever need. At one point I told her that it was too much but she shut me down very quickly and said that my mother would feel better knowing I was taken care of. I couldn't really argue after that" Kili smiled.

Dis gave a small laugh at that. Hearing that he was looked after so well, gave her such a great feeling of relief. She was sad that she would never get to thank the woman for protecting her son.

Kili flicked through the book once more. After a few flips of the pages he found one what he was after. "This one is Lady Anika Jones" The picture was from that first day that Leah had taken him to university with her. "She was a good friend and very funny. Even if she did like to make jokes at my expense. She'd taken to calling me Geri because she thought I was old"

Kili looked up at the confused faces around him "Apparently 77 is old in human years and geriatric means old person. Hence Geri"

Fili gave a breathy laugh and an amused smile pulled at the corners of Thorin's mouth. Kili then showed them a picture of Anika's very large family. Leah must have taken it while they had gone over to eat with them. He was on the floor surrounded by children. Little Leo was on his lap.

"I didn't know you did so well with children Kili" Said Thorin, as he peered down at the book.

"Me neither" said Kili with a smile.

Kili looked down again at the scrapbook. He knew he should show them who Leah was but he felt his breath catch in his throat. Flipping through once more he tried to find a picture to show them. He may have gotten caught up in looking through them. Seeing her smiling face made his heart skip a beat. He didn't realise he was crying until a teardrop landed on the picture in front of him. Quickly, he wiped his face. Hoping no one had seen.

They had though, of course. His Amad wrapped her hand around his and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Who is she Kili?" whispered his Amad.

"...Leah" he said breathlessly.

Fili's eyes widened in recognition of the name. It was the name Kili had called out when the portal had disappeared.

"She was...she was amazing" Kili said, his eyes stared unfocused at the scrapbook in front of him.

He told them everything he could about Leah. Once he started he couldn't stop. No one interrupted him while he spoke. They just let him say what he needed to.

"She was my One Amad. And now she's gone" Kili's voice broke as he spoke.

"Oh inùdoy kurdu! " His Amad had tears in her eyes too. She held him tightly whispering comforts into his hair.

oOo

Many months passed. Kili had hoped that the hurt would lessen as time went on. However it only seemed to intensify. He had grown into quite a solemn dwarf. His family was always there to help him though. Fili would make him smile or provide a distraction when he needed it. Uncle Thorin mostly treated him the same, which he was grateful for. He didn't want everyone treating him differently or giving him pitying glances. However, there was a deep understanding in Thorin's eyes now. Even if he hadn't lost a One, he'd known enough of loss to empathise with Kili.

The quest was probably one of the main things that kept him going. Knowing how it might end he knew he needed to prepare. Firstly, he had, had to convince Thorin to let him go. Apparently when he was missing he'd told Fili that they were no longer going on the quest. When Kili heard that he nearly had a heart attack. He needed to go on that quest. They would surely die if he wasn't there. After an argument or two, Thorin finally gave in. He'd even told Thorin about the stories from Leah's world. About how they had to be prepared for the quest. How Orcs were likely to pursue them. Obviously he didn't tell them about their potential deaths. They'd never let him go if he told them. He wasn't sure if Thorin believed him or not though.

oOo

Six months after his return to this world saw the start of the quest for Erebor. His Uncle had left for the Iron Hills a month previously. In hopes of bringing in more dwarves to the company. Fili and Kili would be travelling together from Ered Luin to the Shire. The Wizard told them that the 14th member of the company would meet them there. His name was Bilbo Baggins and he was a hobbit. He remembered Leah mentioning him before. If there was any doubt about her future knowledge before it was gone now. She couldn't have guessed the exact name or race of the other company member without already knowing it.

The princes were given ponies that were fully kitted out for long travel. Kili had named his Merlin, after a story Leah had told him. One of the guards led the two ponies out of the stables to prepare them for travel. The shirt the guard was wearing was a light grey with a large ornamental zip that went up the front. That was perhaps one of the most surprising things that had happened since he returned. A tailor had seen the jacket he had arrived in, and was fascinated by the zip mechanism. Not long afterwards, the tailor had managed to replicate it. It was now the latest fashion trend. Many dwarrowdams had taken to sewing a thick zip up the front of their dresses. The zipper pulls were often ornamented with jewels as a fashion statement.

Kili shook his head, still amused by the new trend. Leah would have loved it. She would have found it hilarious, he knew. The quick thought of Leah then dampened his mood. He tried not to let it show though. Climbing onto Merlin, he gave Ered Luin one last glance. Then he and Fili urged their ponies on.

Their quest had begun.

oOo

Leah (?- Middle Earth)

The light blinded me. Even when I shut my eyes it burned through the lids. A pressure seemed to surround me from all sides. Like being submerged in water. Only it compressed against me with a much stronger force than water ever could. I was being crushed and pulled. Everything hurt. My body felt like it was being ripped apart. Atom by atom. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. My very being seemed to explode outwards. Like the pieces of shattered reality around the portal. They hung there, floating. Suspended in the ethereal light. Then, like the portal, the pieces imploded and melted back together. Fusing my body back together. Reforming me.

Without warning everything stopped. Where blinding light had once been was replaced by darkness. The pressure disappeared and I could breathe again. Each breath seemed to pull strangely. The movement feeling off somehow. It took me a while for the rest of my senses to return to me. Pain was the first sensation. Not a blinding pain but a deep persistent ache. Like all my muscles had been overexerted.

I also realised that I was lying face first on some type of floor. My eyes had been closed, which was where the darkness had come from. I tried to open them as best as I could. They were so heavy. After a few slow blinks I tried to see my surroundings. It wasn't much brighter with my eyes open. I could see vague outlines of objects. My mind was too fuzzy to distinguish anything.

With tremendous effort, I tried to push myself up. My arms strained with the effort. The pain bringing tears to my eyes. I needed to move. Adrenaline shot through my veins as panic began to set in. Somehow I managed to drag myself up into a standing position. Grappling onto an object that stood beside me. I couldn't tell what it was. Nausea rose up as I stood. The world didn't seem to stay still. It was like being drunk. Everything swayed as I moved.

A cry fell from my lips as fear started to take over. I had no idea where I was and everything hurt and I was alone.

"MUM!" I cried, not knowing what else to do.

I stumbled forwards, grabbing onto anything to keep me steady and upright. Trees, I think they were trees. They were rough beneath my fingers.

"help me please!" I was openly sobbing now.

My foot caught against something on the ground. It sent me sprawling. Somehow my arms stopped myself from falling all the way to the ground. Pain lanced through my muscles causing me to cry out.

"mum… mummy...please" I sobbed.

Heavy thuds then broke through the quiet. My head turned quickly towards the sound. I regretted the movement instantly as it made my nausea worse. The sounds seemed to be getting closer.

" help me" I said, more hopeful this time.

A shadow appeared to step in front of me. If I looked up I knew I would be sick so my eyes were cast to the floor. I felt something touch my shoulder.

"Mahal! Lass are yer okay?"

I responded by promptly throwing up on the floor. It burned my throat causing me to cough violently. My eyes were rolling in my head and I nearly face planted the floor. Something caught me before I could. My body listed to the left before being turned onto my back. I could feel my arm sway below me as I was lifted up.

Then I knew no more.

oOo

_In a land many leagues away, the light of the moon shone down. It lit up a terrain that had known no life for near 1500 years. The earth was bleached white beneath the pale glow. Cracked and dry. Any attempt at growing anything there had failed. The plants would blacken and the roots would shrivel. All who dwelled there knew to avoid it. It was forbidden to enter. Yet the light did not shine upon nothing that night. A single green shoot had unfurled its leaves. Growing out of barren ground. Healthy and green._

oOo

Ow

My body hurt so badly. It was like I'd gone 10 rounds with a professional boxer.. I lay where I was with my eyes closed. Kili hadn't seemed to be this hurt when he had gone through the portal. Yeah, he'd been injured by the warg but at least he could stand up. Beneath me I could feel something soft. Like a blanket. Was I in some kind of bed? Trying to remember anything gave me a slight headache. Vague memories poured in through the fog. I remembered the blinding light but not much after that. It hurt, I knew that much. Whenever I tried to think about what happened in the portal it would slip away like water.

I also vaguely recalled waking up in the dark. Thinking back now I was probably in a forest of some kind. Then someone had found me while I was crying on the ground. Considering I was now on some kind of bed, the person who found me was probably nice. I mean I hope they were. It would be just my luck if I was kidnapped by some serial killer as soon as I landed in Middle Earth. If my thoughts kept going down that road I would probably have a panic attack. Breathing deeply I tried to steady myself.

I cracked my eyes open. Blinking against the light. The room was blissfully still and no longer swayed like before. It was quite small, with only the bed, a wooden chair and a chest of drawers. My eyes were immediately drawn to a person that was occupying the chair. The hair was a deep ginger and surrounded there head like a lions mane. There beard was braided with small beads. Everything about them screamed Dwarf.

They noticed me looking at them and they hurried to their feet.

"Oh Lass yer awake. How are you feeling?" they said.

I tried to move my body into a sitting position. My eyes squeezed tightly together as a dull pain groaned through my muscles. The person had reached for my shoulder and helped me to sit upright.

"I'm okay, I think. Other than the fact that all my body hurts" I groaned.

A sound echoed through the room as someone knocked on the door. It opened before anyone had the chance to say anything. In walked-what I assumed was-another dwarf. Their hair was a dark brown this time with bits of grey creeping into the sides. Two thick braids hung from their chin, a large bead at the end of both.

"I heard yer talking." they said "So the lass is awake then?"

I didn't know how to respond so I simply nodded.

"Yes, now close that door will ya. We don't need anyone else wanderin' in" said the ginger one.

Other voices emanated from behind the door. The brunette one closed the door though, effectively cutting them off.

"What's yer name lass?" asked the ginger one.

"Er, Leah. Leah Orrison"

There eyes widened slightly "Oh sorry laddie we thought ye were a lass"

"What? No I am a girl." then I realised my last name was probably the source of their confusion. "Where I come from you take your dad's last name. His surname was Orrison so mine is as well"

"That's all rather strange" said the brunette.

I guess it would be if it wasn't commonplace here. "What are your names?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Oh I'm Vivni" The ginger one pointed to themselves.

"Alldi" said the brunette.

"We found yer in the forest las' night. We'd heard shouts help and came runnin. Ye we're swoonin' like crazy when we found yer. Even threw up on ma boots." said Alldi.

My cheeks heated up at that. Embarrassed by ruining his shoes. "I'm sorry" I muttered.

"Don't worry about it, lass" said Vivni "But I do have to ask yer some things"

I nodded at them to continue. "Well for starters we kinda wanna know how old ye are?"

That was a bit odd. Not what I expected them to ask to be honest. "Er I'm 20"

Both of them gasped in shock. Seeming horrified by my answer. "I'll be 21 in a month" I added, in case that helped. It didn't.

"Durin's beard yer a child!" Alldi gasped. "Where's yer kin lass. We heard yer callin for yer Amad but we didn't find anyone else."

Hearing the fact that my Mum wasn't here made my panic rear its head again. If she wasn't here then where was she. Middle Earth was huge. What if we had been spat out in completely different places? I could have no chance of ever finding her.

"My mum's gone missing and I couldn't find her" I said with a trembling voice.

Vivni reached over and patted my back comfortingly. She made shhhing noises trying to calm me. "It's okay, lass. Don't panic".

Alldi had started mumbling to himself. "Damn Elves can't even look after their own. It's a disgrace."

Elves? What the fuck did that mean?

"What do you mean, Elves?" I asked, uncertain.

"Well it's pretty obvious yer an elf lass. The pointy ears kinda give it away" said Alldi.

WHAT?

My hands, shakily, reached up to my ears. Where they were one rounded they now came to a delicate point.

What the fuck? What the fuck? What the fuck? This can't be happening.

There was a mirror hanging on the wall in front of me. I needed to see. Damn the pain. Vivni protested as I clambered to my feet. Thankfully, they didn't try to make me lie back down once I was stood. I managed to stumble up to the mirror, using the edge of the bed as a support. I gasped when I saw my face reflected back at me. It was still my face but the features seemed different. Like someone had put one of those snapchat filters over my face. My eyes were slightly larger, my nose slightly thinner. I even seemed to have a more defined jawline now.

Getting past the initial shock, I turned my head to the right. Reaching up, I lifted up my hair and tucked it behind my ear. The now very pointed ear.

I'd been turned into an elf.

_Hope you liked that little cliff hanger Just to clarify there is timeline differences between when Kili lands and when Leah lands. Kili lands about 5 1/2 months before Leah does. Lets blame the mystical Valar rather than a convenient plot hole, shall we. 20 years old is the age of a child in both dwarf terms and elf terms. They currently think that she is a smol baby in need of protecting. Dwarves are very honour bound and very protective of females so the fact that she is now an elf won't stop them from helping her._


	13. From way across the sea

_I had someone ask why Leah was so short when she's an elf. I guess the reason is because she grew up in our world and that she had an accident when she was younger. The main reason though is because I really like the dynamic of a short elf. I want to explore the way people would interact with her based on her height. The dwarves will be thrown off because she's their height and so will the elves._

Suddenly being turned into a fairytale creature took some getting used to. Vivni and Alldi, who were definitely dwarves, thankfully chalked my reaction up to stress. They probably didn't need to know that I was a strange, dimension travelling, human, shapeshifter. I doubt they would have believed me anyway. They would probably think I was some deranged elf child.

Oh yeah. They think I'm a child too. I guess there aren't many elves running around that are 5 ft 2. Also 20 is a child's age for both elves and dwarves If I recall correctly. Though a 20 year old elf supposedly looks like they're about 7 years old. I am definitely not the size or shape of a 7 year old. If I had realised that I was an elf earlier I could have come up with a more realistic age. But alas. Now I'm very likely to be patted on the head and talked to in a slow, happy voice. I don't know how real kids coped. On the upside though, the dwarves were less likely to be outwardly rude to a child. Even an elf child. I was spared the angry glances of a dwarf-elf rivalry for now.

It turned out that there were more dwarves behind the door. There was a small dwarven community in the little town I had ended up in. The town of Rildolach. I had thought that I would be able to recognise where I was once I'd heard the name. But no. Why couldn't I have landed in Bree or something? I had to land in the middle of nowhere with no idea of where to go next.

Vivni and Alldi had said that, since they were the ones to find me, they would give me a place to sleep. I had thanked them profusely. As completely lost as I was any act of kindness made me less scared. Vivni and Alldi, it turned out, were a married couple. They were such a cute couple. It was very clear that they were madly in love with one another. I'd started to refer to them as Vivaldi in my head. Vivni was actually a female dwarf, that's why she had been in the room with me when I awoke. It was more proper apparently.

They let me rest for a day. Apparently changing species can do a number on your body. Who would have guessed? Vivni helped me to get up when I needed to. She was very strong and held my weight up no problem. A wash basin and some soap had been brought into the room at some point and I could finally get some of the grime off of me. Lying face down in a forest can get you quite dirty apparently. It wasn't a bath but it was as good as I was going to get. I did have to shoo Vivni away though. They may think I'm a child but I didn't need help to wash, thank you.

The soap I was given was an off white colour with pieces of what looked like herbs in it. I daren't ask what it was made from, though. If I found out it was made from weird animal fats- like soap had been back in my world's past- then I may have stopped using it. Better to live in ignorance and be clean. I did have soap in my bag but I decided that I should probably save that for later. Also, thankfully, my bag had come with me to Middle Earth. Vivni and Alldi had found it near where they found me.

It didn't take long for the pain in my body to fade. Elven healing times seemed to be quite a lot shorter than human ones. There were a few advantages to being an elf at least. Speaking of advantages, my body had changed more than I realised. Now that my body was healed I noticed the differences. My sight, for starters, was one of the biggest changes. Everything was so crisp and clear. I swear I could still see details over a mile away. It was trippy. My hearing had improved too. I guess that comes with having bigger ears. The coolest new thing though was my strength. I'd never been very strong before but these new muscles seemed to have some hidden power. I kept accidentally crushing things when I picked them up. Or I'd swing a door open too fast and nearly fall through it. Seeing an elf fall over seemed to amuse the dwarves at least.

I'd been in Middle Earth for about 3 days now. Most of it was spent in the room I woke up in. Now that I was healed though, I wanted to explore outside. A young dwarf named Ravni had agreed to show me around. He was Vivni's nephew I think. His hair wasn't as bright orange, it was more of a dark auburn. The start of a beard was just poking through on his chin. If I had to make a guess, I'd say he was about mid teens in human years. In any case he clearly thought that he was the elder of both of us. He may have technically been older than me but comparatively a 20 year old human was mentally older than a 50 year old dwarf. I let him have his fun though.

We left the house I'd been staying in and walked into the street. Most of the buildings seemed to be arranged along this one street. But if I peered between the houses I could see other buildings further behind. Vivaldis' house was towards the end of the street. The dwarves had taken up the north side of town while humans took up the rest.

Ravni shook me slightly so that I would look at him "You need to make sure ye stick with me alright" his voice betraying that he thought I was a child. "Amad trusts me to look after yer. She'd have my hide if ye got lost"

I shook my head, an amused smile on my face. If I didn't see the humour in this situation I would probably go crazy. Right now at least it was funny rather than infuriating. "I won't get lost I promise, I'll stick to you like glue"

"What's glue?" Ravni asked, perplexed.

"Something sticky"

"Oh I see" he nodded.

Ravni was actually a pretty good tour guide. He knew something about nearly every building. The people who lived there; when they were built; which family was squabbling with who. It was fun to listen to. He showed me important places as well. Like the different shops and where the best drinking water was. Apparently the well near Old Talbert's place was awful and that I should only get water from the well nearer to the tavern. These were good things to know.

There was a small forge on the edge of the town. This was where most of the dwarves worked. It was very warm in there. I could see dwarves coming out of it mopping sweat from their brows. I gave them a small smile and a wave when I saw them. Most of them gave me a nod and a grunt in greeting. Next door to it was the blacksmith where the items from the forge were sold. It looked like that was where they added the small details, like leather handles or etchings. I was so fascinated when I watched them working. They were so skilled, their hands working so fast.

Most didn't pay me much attention but I did get a few amused glances at my open amazement. An older looking dwarf with mostly white hair and olive toned skin laughed heartily at me. He beckoned us over with his hand.

"Do yer like what you see Lass?" he asked.

He was carving runes on to the hilt on a dagger of some kind. "It's so cool, I wish I could do something like that" I marvelled.

"Cool? I thought it would be warm if anything"

"No, no, sorry it means awesome or amazing" I said with an amused smile.

"She says a lot of things that don't make much sense, Mani, I wouldn't put too much thought into it" said Ravni from behind me.

"Gee thanks, Rav" I laughed. He blushed slightly at the nickname.

"Well if ye don't be too much of a bother ye can sit in the corner an' watch. If yer like" said Mani.

I agreed readily and hurriedly took a seat. They laughed a little at my eagerness but I just ignored it. Ravni didn't mind staying either. He got on very well with the other dwarves. They were probably family, now that I thought about it. The dwarves were surprisingly good natured about the barrage of questions I sent them about their craft. How did you cut the leather so well? Did you have to use specific tools to engrave different metals? What does this thing do? Mani was the most patient with me and took the time to fully answer all of my questions.

When I pointed towards something else to ask about, my sleeve hitched up slightly to reveal the bracelet on my wrist. Mani saw it and his eyes narrowed questioningly. He gently grabbed my wrist to look at it.

"Where d'ya get this from lass?" he asked, his voice strangely even.

I took my wrist out of his hand and covered the bracelet protectively. "My friend gave it to me," I said, looking down. A sadness creeping into my voice.

"Are ye friends with many dwarves lass?" he asked, there was a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Just the one. Unless you count you" I smiled, trying to defuse the tension

"So ye didn't steal it" Mani gave me a pointed look.

My eyes widened with shock "What?! No I wouldn't steal anything. My friend made it for me!"

I'm not a thief. I guess the presence of dwarven runes was a surprise. Most elves in this world probably don't have a lot of dwarven jewellery. Even so I didn't like the insinuation that I would steal it.

"They musta been a very close friend lass" said Mani, a strange look in his eye.

"He was" I looked down at the bracelet and traced the runes there.

oOo

My day ended at the tavern. It was called the Crimson Boar but I have no idea why. Maybe there was a famous boar from around here or something. It was quite large yet still felt cosy. The wooden beams and furniture gave it a very rustic feel. Then again everything here was rustic. We sat in a corner towards the back. It must have been the dwarves designated spot because no one else really sat there. The work day was over so a few other people had joined us. Vivni and Alldi showed up, along with Rav's mother Braki. She congratulated Ravni for looking after me so well. It made me laugh.

Alldi ordered me some kind of stew and a watered down ale that was designed for children. Secretly I was glad that he hadn't ordered me a proper ale I probably wouldn't have been able to drink it. Beer wasn't really my thing. The watered down one wasn't too bad though. The stew itself was very hearty, with thick chunks of vegetables and meat. It was delicious. The meat itself was a mystery though. I was sure that it wasn't beef but couldn't tell you much more. It was rather gamey.

"Er Ravni. What meat is in here?" I asked him. The dwarf was sitting on my left side.

He scratched his head. "Erm I don't know actually"

That wasn't a promising omen. Well, as long as it wasn't rat or some weird ogre meat I could probably live.

"It's rabbit lass" said Vivni, saving the day "We can get ye something else if you don't like it"

"No, no I do," I said hurriedly "I just wasn't sure what it was. I've never eaten rabbit before I don't think"

I didn't want them to have to pay for more. They were already letting me stay with them for free. Who knows how much I was costing them already? This wasn't the richest town and another mouth to feed probably wasn't ideal.

"How 'av yer gone yer whole life without eatin' rabbit?"

I just shrugged.

"Strange Elves" she muttered under her breath.

A lot of the humans were glancing over at me. I guess that I was the new marvel of the town. Not many elves come by this area evidently and none of them were my height. I could hear them muttering about me. Most people were just politely curious. Having never seen an elf 'child' before it was like a novelty. Other people were a bit more rude. They complained, wondering why the dwarves got to 'keep' me and not them. Like I was some kind of pet to own. It didn't endear me towards them.

As we were eating, a very skinny man wandered over to an unoccupied part of the room. Upon inspection, it seemed to be some kind of stage area. The man was wearing a very over the top ensemble. His trousers and sleeves were puffed out to try and make him appear larger. A dark blue sash was tied around his middle in a big bow. He also had a very floppy hat that nearly covered on eye. I got very big "Dandelion from the Witcher" vibes.

"For Mahal's sake he's back again" complained Vivni.

"Who is he?"

Alldi was the one who spoke up "That lass is a pompous arse… sorry for the language." from the sound I think Vivni kicked him under the table for swearing. "He's a bard. If that's what ye can even call him. He only knows three bloody songs. He's awful, ask anyone else an' they'll tell ye the same. The only reason the owners pay for him is because they've got no one else"

That gave me an idea. Would the owners be willing to pay for someone else? Maybe I could earn a bit of money to help Vivni and Alldi. It was the least I could do.

Mr Pompous started singing and I could tell why people didn't like him. You could tell that he thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. Actually, I don't think they have sliced bread here yet. Nevertheless this guy was very over confident with his mediocre singing ability. There was a staggered applause once he had finished. Most people just continued their conversations. The bard gave a very deep bow before wandering off of the stage.

"Pompous arse" I heard Alldi mutter under his breath.

I asked them if they could point out the owners for me. They gave me a puzzled look but pointed towards the bar. There was a large, bald man behind the bar, he was cleaning a tankard with a rag. His wife was next to him, a buxom and curvy woman with a friendly face. I excused myself from the dwarves for a second and made my way over to them.

My nerves picked up the closer I got to them. I may have been too hasty and now I didn't exactly know what I should say to them. Hopefully they were nice. The bar came up to just under my chest. The owners saw me and their faces lit up.

"Hiya duck, you must be that little elf the dwarves found" said the woman.

"Er yeah I am" I said, my face heating slightly.

"I hope those dwarves are treating you well, duck," said the man.

"Yes, yes they're great" I said.

"My names Samson and this is my beautiful wife Ruby." He looked towards his wife and she preened at the compliment "We're the owners of this fine establishment".

"Is there anything you need, shug?" asked Ruby.

Here we go. How do I word this? I didn't want to come off as some kind of asshole, demanding they hire me.

"I was wondering about the bard"

Their groans were instant. "He's all we've got unfortunately. Not much in the way of musicians around here" said Samson. His ire was evident in his face.

That was a good sign right? I started fidgeting with my hands. Curling my hair around my fingers. I should probably get this out of the way.

"I came over because I thought I could offer my services instead. I love singing and I think I'm quite decent at it. You don't have to though It was just a suggestion" I mumbled very quickly.

Their eyebrows raised in surprise. "Are you sure? You'd be singing in front of a lot of people" asked Ruby, her eyes looked hopeful.

"I've heard of elves and their singing Ruby they're supposed to be really good," said Samson.

Ruby looked deep in thought for a moment. "How about this?" she said "You can sing us something now and we'll see how you do. I already know you'll sound better than they other one but I don't want hire you straight away in case you can't handle it. Nerves can get the best of us after all"

That was understandable. Yet at the same time I was now very nervous. All songs I'd ever known disappeared out of my head at the same time. I needed something that wasn't too out there. A song that sort of sounded like it could be from here. One thankfully sprung in my mind quickly.

Ruby led me over to the little stage area where a small stool stood. The dwarves were giving me very concerned looks from the corner. I gave them a smile that would hopefully placate them.

"Right" she shouted so that everyone could hear her "This is… what's your name duck?"

"Leah"

"This is Leah and she has very kindly asked if she could sing for us. If I hear anything cruel I'll sling you out by your hair. D'ya hear me?"

My face reddened slightly at her declaration. It was very kind of her though, even if I was a bit embarrassed. There was a grumble of affirmations as the people agreed with Ruby. She gave me a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Go on duck whenever you're ready"

I was alone on the stage then. All eyes on me. Deep breaths Leah you can do this. I smiled nervously "Hello" I gave a little wave "Erm this song is called Jenny of Oldstones"

_High in the halls of the kings who are gone_

_Jenny would dance with her ghosts_

_The ones she had lost and the ones she had found_

_And the ones who had loved her the most_

_The ones who'd been gone for so very long_

_She couldn't remember their names_

_They spun her around on the damp old stones_

_Spun away all her sorrow and pain_

_And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_They danced through the day_

_And into the night through the snow that swept through the hall_

_From winter to summer then winter again_

_'Til the walls did crumble and fall_

_And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_And she never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_Never wanted to leave, never wanted to leave_

_High in the halls of the kings who are gone_

_Jenny would dance with her ghosts_

_The ones she had lost and the ones she had found_

_And the ones_

_Who had loved her the most_

There was a rapturous applause and cheering when I finished. The loudest coming from my dwarven companions in the corner. They really were starved for entertainment if they were this happy with my little song. I hopped off of the stool and made my way off of the stage. Samson came over with a big grin on his face.

"The job's yours for as long as you want it duck"

"Thank you" I smiled.

oOo

I started singing at the tavern every evening. It gave me something to do and I was actually earning money. Winner. Vivni and Alldi refused to accept any of my money though. They told that they didn't need it and that it was my hard earned money. It didn't stop me offering though. At one point I had slipped some of my coins into their purse. If they wouldn't willingly accept it I had to get sneaky.

The people of Rildolach were very happy with my singing. It was something new to break up the monotony. I sang about places and things that none of them had ever heard of. That did mean that I was asked random questions about what I sang. A lot of them I couldn't even answer. Why does your heartbeat have a song? I don't know I didn't write it.

I started to spend more time in the blacksmith's too. There wasn't much to do in the town so I spent more and more time annoying Mani with my presence. At one point he had asked if I wanted to have a go at cutting some leather to size. I was more than happy to be of use. He taught me how to use the tools before giving me my own piece to practice on. The line I cut was a little bit shaky but it was mostly straight. Mani told me that it was very good for a first attempt. I beamed at that. He told me that it was going to be a scabbard for a short sword and that he'd be happy to let me help more. I was very excited.

Dwarves started pouring into the room from the forge next door. They were very sweaty and a layer of dust coated their skin. It was lunch time. They would come into the blacksmiths back room and eat pastries and sandwiches. The newest creation being scotch eggs. I had taught Vivni how to make them and they were a big hit amongst the dwarves. They seemed to be the next great dwarven delicacy.

They talked about all sorts during those lunch times. Often they would share stories with each other of great battles and famous dwarves. It was fascinating to listen to. I had the urge to tell a story too. There were a few stories about dwarves from my world. They would probably enjoy them. I was waiting for the right moment to tell it, not wanting to be considered rude. The opportunity arose thanks to Mani.

"Have ye got any stories lass?"

"Yes" I said too eagerly "It's a myth from where I come from"

"Where's that again lass?" said someone in the crowd.

"Er very far away" I thought for a minute "Across the sea."

"Blimey, ye are far from home"

"Okay so this is a myth from norse mythology. So in the past before humans were created there existed Gods and giants that could wield great magic. One of the gods was called Thor, the god of thunder. He had a wife called Sif. One day Sif woke up and all of her hair was gone. It had been cut in the night."

The dwarves gasped when I mentioned her hair. I paused for a moment before carrying on. "Thor knew exactly who had done it. The trickster god Loki. For whenever anything went wrong it was surely him that caused it. So Thor raced down to Loki and demanded he return her hair. If he didn't then Thor promised to break every bone in his body. Loki then quickly came up with an idea.

Dwarves he said. The mighty dwarves could make anything. They would surely make her some hair. So Loki flew to the dwarven homeland in search of some master blacksmiths. Once there he realised that he could get things crafted for the other Gods as well. That way he would be in there good graces.

He found a group of dwarves who completed his request and forged lovely golden hair for the Lady Sif. However they also forged two other great wonders to give to the gods. Loki then realised that he could cause a bit of mischief. So he goes over to a different pair of dwarves. These were called Brokk and Sindri. He taunted them and told them that they could never create a marvel as good as the other dwarves did. Loki even bet his own head against them. Brokk and Sindri knew they were the better smiths and accepted the deal.

Now Loki had to find a way to stop them from creating better items. Or he'd lose his head. So he made his way over to the dwarves forge. Sindri told his brother that he needed to work the bellows. He couldn't stop or the work wouldn't come out right. Loki heard this and came up with a plan. He transformed into a large fly. When Brokk was working the bellows Loki flew up to him and bit him on the arm. Brokk was in pain but he never stopped moving. So the first piece was forged to perfection.

For the next one Loki decides to bite him on the neck. However Brokk manages to continue working the bellows and the next piece was perfect too. For the final one Loki bit Brokk on the eyelid. It caused blood to go in his eyes and he had to stop pumping to wipe away the blood. When the last piece was finished, Sindri saw that the handle was now too short.

The dwarves had to present their gifts to the gods and the gods would decide who won. The first group of dwarves presented Sif with her new hair. They also gave the god Odin the deadliest of all spears, Gungnir. The god Frey was given a great ship that could be folded into the palm of your hand, that one I can't remember the name of.

Anyway, then it was Brokk and Sindri's turn. They showed Odin a golden ring that would duplicate itself every 9 days. So they would have infinite gold. To Frey they gave a large living boar. It could light up any dark and ran faster than any horse.

Finally they presented Thor with the world's strongest hammer. Mjolnir. Even with it's short handle Thor loved it. The gods then decided that Brokk and Sindri had won. So they went to Loki to claim his head. However, as he was the God of mischief he weaseled his way out of it. He told them that he offered his head but not his neck so the dwarves couldn't cut it off. The dwarves were angry and they sewed Loki's mouth closed so that he couldn't cause anymore mischief… The end"

"That's one crackin' story Lass" said Mani, giving me a hearty pat on the back.

"I still woulda cut his head off" I heard one of the other dwarves say.

I'm sure they would.

_oOo_

_The ground was cold beneath me and I shivered against it_

"_ADA!" I screamed. I was alone, so alone. I needed Ada to find me._

_It wasn't Ada that found me though. The monster had found me again. It had found me once but I had managed to crawl away. But now I could crawl no more._

_A deep red stain bloomed out from a wound in my stomach. The monster had hurt me before. My body was going cold as the blood left me._

"_Found you" The monster laughed. All teeth and claws and snarls. _

_It was going to hurt me again. I curled up as tightly as I could. Too scared to do anything else._

_I could see the glee in its eyes as it made to lunge._

_It didn't make it though. A large blade had burst out of the monsters chest from behind. Black blood dripping from the wound. The blade was removed and the monster was pushed away to the side. In its place was Ada. His silver armour was speckled with blood and his pale blonde hair floated in the breeze over his pointed ears. _

_Ada had found me._

_I wanted to speak but I couldn't. Only a gurgling noise left my lips._

_Ada dropped to his knees next to me. He bundled up my body and brought it close to his chest._

"_Ada's here Liriel. Stay with Ada"_

I woke up with a start. Clutching at my blanket, willing my heart rate to slow. That was new. My nightmare had never taken a turn like this before. My family was always dead in that nightmare. The fact that my dad was alive in this one really threw me off kilter. Not only was he alive, he was an elf. Why was I having dreams of my dad being an elf? Was it just a delayed reaction to me turning into an elf or was it something else? Nothing made sense anymore.

To make matters worse her dream dad had called her Liriel not Leah. Liriel was definitely a more Elven name. It also felt strangely right. When I heard the name my brain had reacted to it with increased familiarity. Liriel felt as much my name as Leah did. I put my face in my hands and sighed deeply. Tears of frustration were building in my eyes. This whole situation was mental.

I'd been here for over 3 weeks now. The longer I stayed the more antsy I felt. I needed to move, to do something. My mum was out there somewhere, alone. And who knows when the quest would start? I needed to find Kili as well. I couldn't do that from a town in the middle of nowhere.

I let myself cry for a bit. It was needed to be honest. After a good cry I felt a little bit better. Not by much though. My mood was very visible on my face as I left the house that day. Mani made a comment about it when I went to sit down next to him. I told that I was just having trouble sleeping. He didn't try to pry further which I was appreciative of. The leather scabbard he'd let me work on was nearly finished.

Mani was helping me to carve runes into the surface when there was a commotion at the door. A few people got up and ran out the front. Curious, I put the tools in my hand down. I craned my neck to try and see what was happening. One of the dwarves moved slightly out of the way and I could see someone new. It was another dwarf, only I'd never seen this person before. They weren't from this neighbourhood at least. They had dark brown hair with two braids down the side of their face. Their beard was short which was rather odd because he definitely wasn't a young dwarf. The greying hair at the sides of his head said as much. Dwarves were very particular about cutting hair, it was probably to symbolise something bad.

Everyone seemed to speak up at once and it was hard to pick up what the new person was saying. It was sometimes difficult to pinpoint sounds with my new hearing. I hadn't quite gotten used to it yet.

"Who is that?" I asked Mani, who had stayed next to me.

"No one ye need to concern yerself with Lass" he said dismissively.

It was obvious he didn't want me to talk to the new person. Maybe they weren't a fan of elves. I kept looking at them though. They were something new, something interesting. At one point our eyes met as he caught me looking at him. I could feel my cheeks warming a little at being caught. But I was polite though. I gave him a little wave as I greeting. His eyebrows drew together, perplexed. He didn't return the wave either, simply started talking to the dwarf next to him. Bit rude.

I tried to listen to what they were saying, if I concentrated I might be able to.

"Who is she?" the stranger asked.

Oh damn he's talking about me.

"She's an elf that a couple a dwarves found in the forest a few weeks ago."

"An elf?" he asked, confused.

He looked back towards me quickly and I averted my gaze. Hopefully he didn't see me staring again.

"Aye, and a bairn at that. Vivni tells me she's only 20"

"Mahal, where's her kin?" said the stranger.

"She says her Amad's gone missing and that she got lost or somethin' like tha'"

"Right" said the stranger, he had a strange tone to his voice. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

He disappeared not long after that and everyone went about their day. There was an excited buzz in the air now though. Mani and I finished the scabbard after that. I was very proud of it. Obviously it was a bit sloppier than the proper ones but this one I had helped to make. Mani told me he was proud too. A smile stretched across my face and I surprised him with a hug. He returned it in kindness and then told me to run along.

As the time came for me to sing my melancholy had returned. I was still so lost and even though there were good people helping me, I still felt very alone. Alone in a world that I didn't understand. I'd never gone so long without seeing my mum. It was breaking my heart not being able to see her. Not knowing if she was alright.

When I got to the tavern I knew for a fact that I was only gonna sing sad songs that night. If I'm sad I might as well make everyone else sad too. I arrived at the bar and said hi to Samson. He always offered me a free drink before I sang and I happily took it. I gave a quick scan of the room to gauge my audience. In the corner where my dwarf companions normally sat was only the newcomer. Vivni and Alldi told me they'd be busy tonight so I wasn't expecting people to show up.

The newcomer saw me looking at him and I quickly turned away. Scanning the rest of the room. Eyes came to a stop in the opposite corner of the room. My heart rate picked up and I could feel a swell of panic rise up. I gulped down a big sip of drink to try and distract me.

They were back. Some creepy men that had been in the tavern before. I remembered seeing them a few days ago. They were lecherous and I could feel their eyes on me. I heard all sorts of comments from them that made me want to be sick. When I told Ruby about them she told me that they were just men being men and not to bother with them. Not exactly helpful. Also why is men saying gross things about women 'just men being men'. It made me so angry.

There were three of them. One was very large and had long greasy hair that stuck to his forehead. Another was like a twig and had was completely bald. The last one was near enough a duplicate to the second though I don't think they were related. I think there was about 10 teeth between all of them.

Trying to push them out of my mind, I put the drink down and made my way over to the small stage. I could feel eyes on me and I tried not to focus on the ones from the table in the corner.

_I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me_

_This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy_

_I need somebody to heal_

_Somebody to know_

_Somebody to have_

_Somebody to hold_

_It's easy to say_

_But it's never the same_

_I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain_

_Now the day bleeds_

_Into nightfall_

_And you're not here_

_To get me through it all_

_I let my guard down_

_And then you pulled the rug_

_I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved_

When I finished I could tell I'd made the mood somber. I didn't care too much about it though. Too busy wallowing in my own mood. I hopped down from the stage and made my way back over to the bar. Samson had a bowl of stew ready for me like he did every night. It was part of the routine. He gave me a drink, I sang some songs and then he gave me a free meal. It was a good routine. I was just about to turn around and head towards a table when I caught some snippets of a conversation.

"How much do you think she's worth?"

"I dunno, I reckon an elf kid would be worth a pretty penny"

"She's gotta be worth at least 1000 gold on the black market"

The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I felt sick. Were they planning to kidnap me? I needed to escape. Go somewhere that they wouldn't find me. But what if they followed me? What if they found out where I was staying? I didn't know what these people were capable of. I didn't want to walk out of here alone and the people I trusted the most around here were dwarves. Unfortunately the only dwarf present was the new stranger.

With no other option I steeled myself and made my way over to his table in the corner of the room. The creepy guys eyed me as I went past and I tried to give them a wide berth. Mr. Stranger raised his eyebrows at me as I approached him. I sat down a few seats away from him. My hands were fidgeting with the leather cuff on my wrist. What do I even say to him? Hey sorry Mr stranger sir could you walk me home please. Oh god I don't know what to do. My soup was starting to get cold and I realised that I should eat something. It gave me a chance to think as well. I could feel my hands shaking slightly as I held the spoon.

"You sang well tonight," said the stranger.

His speech was so unexpected that I nearly spat out my soup. Some dribbled down my chin and I wiped it up quickly with my hands.

" you" I stuttered.

"It's not very often you find an elven child amongst dwarves" he said, taking a sip from his tankard and looking at me expectantly.

"Yeah I guess" I said non-committedly. The fact that everyone thought I was a child was starting to wear on me.

"You look familiar and I can't figure out why"

My eyebrows drew together in confusion. That was weird. I definitely hadn't seen this guy before. I also hadn't been out of this village so I don't know how he'd seen me before.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before" I said "My names Leah"

"Leah?"

I nodded, taking another spoonful of my soup. He seemed deep in thought but then shook his head.

"My name is Thorin it's nice to meet you Leah"

I spat out my soup again. "Thorin Oakenshield!"

"Keep your voice down" he said looking around quickly "How do you know of me?"

"Your Kili's Uncle! Is he okay? Did he make it home? He left so suddenly I didn't know if he was hurt. Oh my god I think I'm hyperventilating"

I felt his hand grab my shoulder and shake me slightly "Calm down, calm down." I tried to get my breathing to normal "Do you mean to tell me that you're the same Leah from that other world Kili talks about?"

"Yes!"

So Kili had made it home, that was such a relief. I could see the cogs working behind his eyes. "But you're an elf, Kili showed me paintings and you were definitely not an elf"

"I woke up like this" I tried to explain "Back in my world I was an adult human and then I arrive here and I'm an elf. Everyone thinks I'm a child because I'm short and because I told them I was 20. I'm pretty much an adult in human years." I could tell I was rambling but I needed to get it off of my chest.

Thorin still seemed confused. "How are you even here? Kili made it sound like it was only him that could travel between our worlds"

"I thought that too until it snatched my mum up. I wasn't too far behind and then I ended up here" I motioned to my surroundings "I have no idea where my mum ended up, I wonder if she's an elf too." I mused, hand following the point of my ear.

Thorin gave me a sympathetic look. "It must have been hard, losing your mother and being turned into an _Elf" _you could hear the clear disgust in his words. Subtle dude.

I realised then that Thorin was my ticket out of here. If he took me with him I'd be able to see Kili again. The thought gave me butterflies.

"You have to take me with you...please"

His eyebrows raised in surprise "Where I'm going is not safe I can't bring you with me"

My stomach dropped at his words. I was starting to get frantic. "Please! I can't stay here. It's not safe here either. I just overheard a group of men that are planning to sell me on the black market. Sell me! That's the reason I came over here in the first place I was going to ask you to walk me home because I'm terrified of them"

I was heavy breathing when I stopped speaking. I needed to slow down or my panic would get worse. But I needed Thorin to take me with him.

"What?! Are you serious?" I nodded "Which men?"

I looked over my shoulder at the men in the corner. Their eyes were already watching us like hawks. Nausea rose up with my panic. I quickly looked back to Thorin.

"Those ones" I pointed.

He looked over at the men with a terrifying scowl. They buckled under his glare and looked away. I felt a pressure in my chest ease as they did. Turning back, I looked to Thorin. He was in deep thought. My breath was held while I waited for his reply.

"Mahal, Mi targê. Kili would kill me if I let anything happen to you" he exclaimed "Fine, yes you can come with me until we reach somewhere safer. Perhaps we can find someone who could help"

"Maybe Gandalf can help me" I added

His eyes widened in shock "How did you…" He shook his head "Nevermind".

"You will meet me here at sunrise tomorrow"

"Yes, yes, thank you so much" I wanted to hug him so badly but I restrained myself.

oOo

Thorin walked me back to Vivaldi's house. He was very vigilant and ensured that no one was following us. Vivni opened the door to us and gave a very startled noise when she saw who accompanied me. They then basically sent me to bed while Thorin had a talk with them. From what I could hear he was telling them that I would now accompany him. Vivni and Alldi were very confused as to what King Thorin wanted with me. Thorin didn't give very much away though and told them that he was trying to help me. Vivni and Alldi came up to me, once Thorin was gone, and they both gave me hugs. They were sad to see me go. That must have been a strange feeling for them, being sad for an elf. I was sad to leave them too. They'd done so much for me, I couldn't thank them enough.

I didn't get much sleep that night. My mind was too excited. Finally, I was doing something productive. I could be seeing Kili soon. The thought put a smile on my face. When I woke up the sun wasn't even up. But I needed to pack and make sure that I had everything. It didn't take long though. I only had one bag after all. After I'd finished packing I started pacing the small room. I was too full of nervous energy to keep still. A quick look out of my window and I could see that the forge was already lit. Someone was up early. Maybe it was Mani. I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to him.

The sun was beginning to crest above the hills and I realised that I didn't have much time. It would have to be a quick visit. I put my coat on and slung the bag onto my shoulders. Kili's dagger was lying on the table next to my bed. I had debated where to put it. Back in my bag or on my person. Well if I'm going to be travelling in the wild with Thorin it was probably best to have it to hand. I hid the dagger in one of the big pockets on my right trouser leg. Thankfully it didn't press in too much and it was mostly concealed. Carrying a weapon gave me a weird thrill.

After I was done I made my way outside. No one was one the street yet, early as it was. The birds were chirping and the air was cool. It was a nice day. The forge wasn't too much further, it wouldn't take me long to get there.

I felt my ears twitch suddenly at an odd sound. It was coming from behind me. I didn't even get the chance to turn around before a filthy hand covered my mouth and I was dragged backwards.

_How will she get out of this one? Also I'm so glad I've made it to Thorin now. Love that guy. Jenny of Oldstones- Florence Welch Someone you loved- Lewis Capaldi Mi targê- By my beard_


	14. Are you strong enough to stand

_Trigger warning- Nothing happens but the attackers joke about wanting to 'bed' an elf._

I fought back against the arms dragging me backwards. One hand was still firmly pressed against my mouth. The rough, calloused skin of his palm scraped across my skin. A cloying scent nearly made me gag. Another arm had been wrapped around my middle so that i was crushed to the person's chest. My bag was still on my back though, so the arm couldn't completely enclose around me. I could tell that, whoever my attacker was, was huge. They were yanking me backwards with such force that my feet left the ground.

I tried to scream behind the hand but the sound was muffled. Help me. Anyone. Please! Panic was shooting through me like electricity. I'd forgotten what I was supposed to do. Kili had taught me how to get out of holds but I couldn't remember how. Still my body rebelled against the hold with everything I could muster. I kicked out my legs trying to make any form of contact. My elbows were doing the same. For a second the attacker slowed as my attempts at escape seemed to be working. My heels scraped down a shin bone and my elbow made contact with a shoulder.

His hand left my face, briefly, as he tried to readjust his hold on me. I saw my chance and bit down on the fleshy part of his hand; between the thumb and forefinger. My bite didn't hold back and I pierced the skin. The man dropped me with a pained cry. I crumpled slightly as I hit the floor. My ankles twisting painfully underneath me. But I needed to get up. I needed to move. The bag fell off my shoulders as I tried to scramble away.

Three feet was all I managed before a fist flashed out and collided with my cheek. The blow was so hard I was knocked off of my feet. Blood filled my mouth as my teeth had bitten down onto my tongue. The world swayed in my vision. I tried to get my arms underneath to push myself up.

"HELP!" I screamed, needing to be heard.

My body was slammed back to the ground with incredible force. A booted foot had stamped down on the middle of my back. It ripped the air out of my lungs with a pained gasp.

"You'll pay for that you stupid Bitch"

Next thing I knew I was hauled upwards once more. Only this time their grip was tighter. It was difficult to breathe. I still cried out underneath his hand though they had now started to turn into sobs. I was dragged out of town and towards the outskirts of a forest. How had no one seen me? I know it was early but surely someone was there.

The 'someone' turned out to be the other two men from last night. The thin bald ones. Which meant that the one carrying me was the huge greasy haired man. Their grins were triumphant and disgusting when they saw me struggling.

Without warning I was dumped onto the ground. My legs collapsed underneath me and I landed in a heap. The right leg had landed on something and bruised, painfully. It wasn't a rock though. That's when I remembered the dagger. I'd put into one of my pockets and it was now digging painfully into my leg. If I could get to it I might be able to use it. Stab one of them in the leg and run for it.

Before I could reach for it a hand grabbed my hair, right by the roots and yanked. The sting brought tears to my eyes. My hands stretched up to the one grabbing me. Trying to remove it and lessen the pain.

"Good morning princess" It was one of the bald ones who had grabbed me.

His nose was broken in two places and his face was pockmarked with scars. The smile he gave me was vicious and showed off his teeth. What little teeth he did have.

"LET GO OF ME!"

I swung at my attackers face. The blow didn't quite connect as he was too far away. It just caught his chin. His grip lessened in my hair as he stumbled backwards. My head jerked in the opposite direction of his hand as I tried to get away. Another pair of hands was already there though. They grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back. My muscles screamed as they were pulled in the wrong way. I dug my nails into the arms holding me but they didn't let go.

The one I punched had recovered quickly. I could hear the other two laughing at my attempt to escape. A bruise had already started to form on his chin and his lip had burst. My punch had more power than I thought it did. He brought his hand up to his face and swiped away a drop of blood. Assessing the liquid on his finger, his expression turned feral.

"Well aren't you a fiery one" His own eyes were fire as he approached me once more.

One hand wrapped around my throat, not quite crushing. I could still breath but his thumb squeezed against my pulse point as a warning. Stumbling backwards, I tried to get away from his hand but the person behind me held fast. A blade that I hadn't noticed before was suddenly by my face. The moment I saw it I stopped struggling and froze. A cry came unbidden as I felt the metal brush against my cheek.

"Not so fiery now" he said in an almost whisper.

His eyes brimmed with humour at my fear. I felt the tip of the dagger drag across the edge of my jaw. Not deep enough to cut but enough to threaten. My lips trembled as I tried not to cry in front of them. The man had bent forwards so that he face was close to mine. His putrid breath ghosted over my face. The blade made its way across by jaw and down the side of my neck. He stopped at the hollow of my throat. The cold metal burned against my skin.

"You, little princess, are going to make us a lot of money. Who knows how much someone would pay for you?" his hand squeezed slightly as he spoke.

"I don't know about you but I know plenty of men who'd pay a pretty penny to bed an elf" The other bald one mocked from the side.

No. No no NO. This wasn't happening.

"I've often dreamt of it" the blade against my neck trailed further down. To the front of my shirt.

NO! With a terrified yet angry growl I bucked against the hold. The new surge of panic burned through my body. Every nerve ending was on fire. A tingling sensation shot through my hands. It was like they were vibrating; a strange energy that was only centred on my hands. The grip on my arms disappeared with an agonised cry. It caused my other attacker to back away in surprise. His hand falling away from my neck.

I didn't wait. My hands shot towards my right trouser leg. The handle of the blade grazed against my palm and I yanked it out. The leather sheath fell to the ground. Without hesitation, I grabbed it with both hands and charged forwards. The man only had chance to widen his eyes before the blade plunged into his stomach.

The force with which I launched myself at him was enough to send us both sprawling. He crashed to the ground with me on top of him, still holding the dagger. Blood was gushing from the wound. It was on my hands and my clothes. A gurgling sound emitted from his throat as he tried to cough. Only for a stream of blood to come up instead. For a second I was frozen, mortified. I was watching a man die.

A roar to my left alerted me to the other men. The other bald one had backed away with a horrified look in his eye. The large one had drawn a sword and was levelling it at me. There was something wrong with his arms though and he struggled to hold it up. With a shock I realised that there were now two hand prints burned into his skin. Was that where I was grabbing him?

Before I could react in anyway another sword appeared. Coming out of the man's stomach. He looked down at the blade in shock. His own sword clattering to the floor before he himself fell forwards. Behind him stood Thorin Oakenshield. A look of pure rage in his eyes. He removed the sword from the man's back hastily. He swung it around with defined skills and swiftly dispatched of the other man. A wave of relief crashed over me and I nearly cried.

I was still on top of the other man when he hurried over to me. The man below me was still alive, barely. I stumbled off of him as soon as I realised that I was still hovering over him.

"You can look away," Thorin said, as he reached for the dagger still buried in the man's abdomen.

I scrunched my eyes tightly, not wanting to see anything else. The zing of a blade sounded in the air, followed by a wet gurgling noise. Nausea rose up in me. This was too much for me to handle. I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders and I jerked away from the touch. Opening my eyes, quickly, I realised that it was only Thorin.

"We need to run, there could be more" he implored, his voice was soft as he spoke to me "Do you understand?"

I nodded, not quite trusting my voice. Then we fled. Into the forest, leaving the dead men behind us. Thorin set the pace, dragging me along behind him by my wrist. He'd found my bag, I realised. It was bouncing off his back while we ran. Seeing it made me feel better. We ran for quite a while before Thorin decided it was okay to stop. My breathing was slightly heavy but nowhere near as heavy as it would have been when I was still human. Being an elf is good for something at least.

"I think the coast is clear" said Thorin, looking around him.

He didn't let go of me though. Next thing I knew he was leading me towards a small river. Pointing towards a flat patch of stone on the river back Thorin politely but firmly told me to sit. I followed the command without hesitation. Falling to the ground and crossing my legs underneath me. Now that we'd stopped running my body was beginning to relax. The thundering in my ears lessened as my heart started to return to normal. Each deep breath making me feel more grounded.

Thorn knelt down in front of me. He swung my bag off of his back as well as his own. Opening his bag, he rifled through its contents. What looked to me like some kind of rag was pulled out of it.

"Give me your hands"

I lifted them up towards him. Blood still clung to them. The realisation made my stomach turn. Thorin reached forwards and grabbed one of my hands. His other hand dipped the cloth into the river. Once it was wet, he started to clean the blood off of my hands. The rag was soft against my skin. My eyes never left my hands as Thorin worked.

"I killed someone" I said, barely a whisper.

"No" he said, dipping the rag back into the river. It produced a brown cloud in the water. "I did. Their deaths are on my conscience not yours"

I guess he was right. That didn't change the fact that I'd just stabbed someone though. That deed was on my conscience.

"You should never feel guilty about defending yourself. You did what you had to, to get out of a bad situation" he was nearly finished now, wiping up the last remnants.

"There that's better" said Thorin.

I looked down at my hands. Turning them over to see all of them. They were clean, all traces of blood was gone. A watery smile came to my face. I launched myself at Thorin. Wrapping my arms around him tightly.

"Thank you," I said with a sob.

Thorin only hesitated for a second before his own arms wrapped around me. He let me cry into his shoulder while he patted my back.

"It's okay,"

I calmed down after a while and the sobs subsidded. My arms loosened their hold on Thorin and I sat back. An apologetic look in my eye. Thorin only looked slightly uncomfortable by my sudden hug.

"Tell me what happened" he said once I was sat back down.

I looked down at my hands as I spoke "I wanted to say goodbye to Mani. The sun was nearly up so I was going to go see him and then meet you straight after. But then one of them grabbed me and dragged me away. I nearly managed to get away by biting him but he hit me and I fell down"

Thorin reached a hand towards my face. It ghosted over the place the man had hit me.

"Is this where he struck you?" He growled.

I nodded. He made an angry noise at the back of his throat.

"I might have something that will help it heal." he said "Carry on. What happened next?"

"He dragged me to the forest where the other two were. I punched one of them but then he pulled a knife" my heart beat increased at the memory "Then they, they joked about wanting to an elf and I panicked. Somehow the guy dropped me and I picked up the knife and I…" I trailed off not wanting to say the rest.

"Ozodl ezun muzm! Abrâfu shaikmashâz!" A string of angry khuzdul fell from Thorin's lips.

He was the angriest I'd ever seen him. His teeth clenched and a muscle in his jaw ticked. After seeing my widened eyes he tried to calm himself. A few deep breaths through his nose and his face returned to his usual stoic expression.

"You're safe now, that's what matters." He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and sighed heavily.

"Now that, that is out of the way I have something for you." he said, reaching behind him.

My eyebrows rose as Thorin turned back around. In his hands was a short sword encased in a leather sheath. The same leather scabbard that I had helped to create.

"A sword?" I asked, astonished.

"Courtesy of your friend Mani"

Mani made this for me? I felt joyful tears prick at the corners of my eyes. A smile stretched across my face as I reached for the object. The hilt was smooth yet still grippy. Several runes were etched deep into the metal. A geometric pattern was carved into the pommel and the cross-guards.

"You know, this is probably the first time a dwarf has ever forged something for an elf of their own volition. You should consider yourself lucky" He said with a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

My cheeks heated slightly and I let out a small chuckle at his words. I was finally feeling calm. The panic and fear ebbed away the longer I was away from it. Bringing my hands up I buried my face into them. A deep sigh leaving my body. This situation could only happen to me. Why couldn't my time in Middle Earth ever be simple? And I just knew that this wasn't the end of it. If I was going on the quest then I was going to face countless more dangers. That's if Thorin let me on the quest. As of right now I think he's dead set on leaving me in the shire when they head off.

The sleeves of my coat slipped down my arms as I held them up. I heard Thorin's sudden intake of breath. What? What is it? I dropped my hands, alarmed. Then I saw that his gaze was on the leather bracelet. It must have loosened during the fight and slid up my arm. I quickly readjusted it so it sat right.

"Did Kili make you this?" He said with wonder.

"Yeah"

He turned my wrist around so that he could read the runes there. His eyes widened when he saw them.

"Did he tell you what these say?" he pointed to the runes.

"He told me it said 'penis' actually"

Thorin was taken by such surprise that a booming laugh fell from him. His amused expression made me giggle as well. At the sheer silliness of it. It felt good to laugh.

"I'm sure he did," he said, a smile still on his face "I'll leave it to him to tell you what it really says"

I knew it didn't really say penis.

oOo

Seeing as there was a perfectly good river next to me, I decided that I needed to wash. I needed to wash away where their filthy hands had grabbed me. Thorin acquiesced to my request and told me that he would stand guard through the trees. He left me my bag so that I use my toiletries. I rummaged through it to find the things I needed. My towel was towards the top so I took that out first. Placing it on a rock for safe keeping. Next I drew out a new shirt. The one I had on was covered in blood. My waterproof coat would probably clean up fine but this shirt was definitely ruined.

Annoyingly, my toiletries bag was right at the bottom. With an annoyed grunt I pulled it out of the back and placed it on the rock. Now the real question is, do I just dive straight into the river or just use a cloth to wash my body? There were pros and cons to both. However after feeling my hair and the skin beneath my shirt I knew I had to get in. I had to wash all of it off. That did mean that I had to strip in the middle of a forest, though. Resigned to my decision I began peeling off my layers.

I kept my underwear on. Nothing would get me to actually be naked in a forest. I needed some coverage. My toes touched the edge of the water, gauging the temperature. Oh it's freezing. That's nice. I was already part way in now, I might as well get it over with. Mustering the courage, I waded further in. The riverbed steeped suddenly causing me to plunge in. It was so cold! A startled squeak escaped me.

"What was that?!" came a concerned voice from behind me.

"It's cold"

"Mahal have mercy" he sighed "Unless you are actually in danger I suggest you keep your screams to yourself. Lest we both have an encounter we'd rather avoid"

"...Fair enough" I said, embarrassed. That was a good point. I didn't need a heroic dwarf charging in while I'm half naked.

I quickly went to work scrubbing my body. A brown cloud of blood and grime floated away from me and down the river. The chill of the water was making me feel a lot cleaner. It took away the memory of their warm, clammy hands. I used the shampoo bar to wash my hair as well as the rest of my body. The smell of citrus was heavenly. I nearly dropped the damn thing twice though. Trying to slip free from my hand and into the river. I managed to catch it both times, saving it from the watery depths.

I rinsed off the front of my coat and my trousers in the river. Thankfully the blood washed off them easily. The shirt, however, was a goner. I'd sooner burn it than put it back on. Towelling myself dry, I quickly redressed myself. A fresh pair of trousers-as the other ones needed to dry-and Kili's shirt. It brought me comfort knowing it was his. I then brushed through my wet hair. Being careful of the area that had been yanked. Then I put my hair into two braids so that it was out of my face while it dried.

All my wet clothes were wrapped in the towel before I put them back in my bag. It was a shame I didn't have a plastic bag or something to put them in. Hopefully the wet clothes wouldn't touch the dry ones. When I was finally finished I felt more human again. Well more elf again, I guess. I made my way towards Thorin and thanked him for waiting for me. He raised an eyebrow when he saw me.

"That's not your tunic is it?"

My cheeks heated and I looked away "Erm no. It's Kili's"

"I see" was all he said.

oOo

Thorin produced some kind of poultice from his pack. It was an odd texture and it smelled of what I can only describe as 'green'. He spread a small amount onto my face. I hissed when he touched it as It was still rather sore. We started walking after that, needing to pick up some ground after staying in one spot too long. There was a deadline Thorin needed to keep after all. Thorin seemed fine with silence as we walked. I was fine with it at first but after a while I felt the sudden need to fill it. It was a habit of mine. I couldn't go silent for too long or I'd start overthinking.

Starting a conversation with Thorin wasn't easy. He mostly gave one word answers to the questions I asked him. I managed to get him to speak up though once I brought up the topic of Kili. About how he arrived back here. Thorin told me how he'd been when he came back. I was shocked to hear how broken up he was about leaving me. I mean I was equally broken up about him leaving but I didn't know that the pain was mutual. What was even more shocking was the fact that this was six months ago! Kili had been here for six months and I've only been here for three weeks. The timelines were off then. I wonder how long my mum has been here. Alone. I shook my head and tried not to think about it.

After near enough a whole day of walking Thorin finally decided on a place to stay the night. It was mostly flat and partially covered by an overhang of rock. At least we'd be covered if it rained. I may have slept outside before but I usually had a tent to cover me. This would take some getting used to.

Once Thorin had set up a fire we both sat in front of it and ate our meal. It consisted of a crusty bread roll and-surprisingly- a scotch egg. I giggled when I saw them, he must have been given them by one of the other dwarves. He held one in his hand and gave it a considering gaze.

"Kili has told me about these. I was quite surprised when I was offered some before we left" he said.

"Do you like it?" I asked once he'd taken a bite.

He nodded appreciatively. "Its sausage, bread and egg what's not to like"

A feeling of pride warmed my chest. The Thorin Oakenshield liked something I'd made. Well I hadn't personally made these ones but you know what I mean. Also, that fact that another one of my favourite characters was in front of me hadn't escaped my mind either. It was Thorin fucking Oakenshield, King under the mountain descendent of Durin. It was wild.

After we finished our food Thorin told me to turn in for the night. He wasn't going to sleep any time soon though. It seemed that he was going to keep watch for a while. I waited until Thorin's back was turned before I undid my braids. The hair unfurled easily. Normally when I undid my hair from braids they were nicely curled. This time, my hair fell out of my braid looking like I'd freshly straightened it. I guess that means goodbye to ever having curls again. Thorin was a little confused by my sleeping bag. Especially when I pulled the drawstring so that only my face was showing.

"You look ridiculous" he mused.

Rude. Then again, I did look like some weird caterpillar creature. The fact that I had to sort of wriggle to get into a sleeping position didn't help either.

Exhaustion overcame me pretty quickly and I fell into a fitful sleep. My dreams weren't fun, as one would expect after nearly being kidnapped. One dream would just carry on into the next. In some I feel myself being dragged away and unable to stop it. Or there was blood staining my hands that never seemed to wash away The worst one was where Thorin never showed up and they dragged me away to who knows where. Each time I woke with a start, only to fall back asleep a second later. It meant that I wasn't the happiest person when I finally woke up.

The fire was reduced to a simmering ash. Thorin kicked dirt over it and effectively smothered the flames. A light drizzle had started to fall once we started walking again. I was very grateful that my coat had a hood. The rain subsided somewhere around midday. I decided to tell Thorin about my world to pass the time. He was very intrigued about the differences between our two worlds. Every now and then he would laugh when I told him a fact. Apparently Kili gave wildly inaccurate accounts of things from my world. You couldn't really blame him though, he was only there a few months.

"There is something that I need to ask you" said Thorin, his voice now serious.

"What's that?"

Thorin stopped walking momentarily. Scanning the horizons before finally looking back towards me.

"When Kili came home he described many things about you're world that I struggled to believe. The main one I struggled with was the knowledge of this world being present in yours"

How much had Kili told him? Did he know about his potential death?

"Yeah, your world's history is written as a story in mine. No one ever thought they were real" I said.

"The way Kili explained it, it's not just history that is written is it?" his eyes were intense when he looked at me.

"No" I said shaking my head "The stories told of things that happen in the future too"

"You do see why that is very difficult to believe don't you?"

I nodded my head, not knowing what else to say. Did he want proof or something? Tell him knowledge that I shouldn't know unless I know the future.

"It is true though, I'll try and prove it" Thorin crossed his arms across his chest, an eyebrow raised as if to say 'I'm waiting'.

"Well I assume that you're journeying on your quest for Erebor right now" his eyes widen at the mention of the quest "So that must mean that we're travelling to the shire. Where Gandalf has found a burglar for you. He's a hobbit by the name of Bilbo baggins"

I stopped after that, not knowing how much more I should say. I didn't want to mess something up after all.

Thorin's gaze was burning a hole right through my soul. As if he was assessing me.

"Gandalf only informed me of the identity of the burglar a month ago. So the fact that you know it must mean that you do possess some foreknowledge"

Thorin looked pensieve, staring into the distance. "So that means you know how this journey could end. Well one version at least"

I gulped and nodded. "I don't think I can tell you too much. It could change things for the worse"

A flash of anger flitted across his face "You could risk the safety of my company"

I stepped backwards slightly at the anger in his face "I don't want to." I stammered, I searched my mind for anything I could tell him. Something that wouldn't change things too much. "I can tell you something. Er, the company is going to be followed. By a group of orcs. They want to stop you so they can take the mountain for themselves"

Thorin's face remained impassive. "Kili has told me the same"

He did? It was obvious that he hadn't told Thorin about their deaths though.

"Seeing as this threat has come from two parties I have no choice but to treat it as genuine" he relinquished. His anger was now gone, replaced with a more solemn expression. "And Leah, what you know could be highly dangerous in the wrong hands. You must tell no one of this"

"Of course" I said very quickly. I don't know who I'd tell anyway.

We continued walking after that. At first the silence was heavy and awkward. After a little while though, Thorin started to return the conversation. I'm not sure whether he had forgiven me for holding back information or not. His friendly conversation seemed to indicate that there was no hard feelings.

oOo

We spent the next few days trekking across forests and fields. It was arduous work but thanks to my new and improved body I could handle it. A routine had formed over the days. Thorin would find us a place to rest and I'd help set up camp. He was better at getting a fire started than I was. Granted he probably had way more experience than I did. Though he was a fan of my fire starter. Apparently it was easier to get a spark with than the one he had. My Earth stuff was actually proving useful it seemed.

One night we were sitting around the fire when I tried to broach the subject of where I'd be going once we got to the shire.

"Thorin?" I asked, timidly.

"Yes" he said, sharpening his sword as he spoke. The whetstone made a metallic *Shheen* noise as it was brought down the blade. I would probably need to learn how to sharpen my own sword at some point.

"What will happen to me once we get to the Shire?" my hand fiddled with my bracelet as I spoke.

I knew he didn't want me on the quest. I was too much of a liability, an unknown.

He hand stopped momentarily as his thoughts turned inwards. "I am not certain" he said after a while "Perhaps we can find you lodgings amongst the hobbits. I've heard that they are an amenable race."

"Okay" I said, not quite looking at him.

We drifted into silence again. His sharpening re-commenced and I just stared into the fire. The flames danced in the darkening forest. Sparks flew off of it, the wood cracked and popped beneath it. I needed to go with them on this quest. There was no way that I was going to sit on my arse in Hobbiton while they potentially died. Maybe I could get Gandalf to convince Thorin let me go. He could be quite persuasive.

I was so entranced by the flames that when a huge ass moth flew directly in front of me I screamed. Falling backwards off my perch on a small log.

"What was that?" I could hear amusement in his voice.

"A moth attacked me"

"Ah a moth, that's serious business" sarcasm dripped from his voice "I've heard that they can be quite deadly. You're lucky you made it out unscathed"

I narrowed my eyes and gave him an unimpressed frown as I clambered back onto my log.

oOo

After nearly a week of travelling we had finally made it to the Shire. However, my relief was short lived when I realised just how big the Shire was. It would still take us all day to reach Bag End. The Shire so far was mostly farmland with a few sprawling hills in the distance. We were yelled at by a grizzled old hobbit for using his land as a path. Thorin simply ignored him and carried on walking. I mumbled a quick apology and followed after Thorin.

A good trek later and we were in Hobbiton. It was like a dream. The sprawling hills and hobbit holes. So many flowers overflowed from every garden. Thorin had to shake me from my reverie. The biggest grin still stretched on my face though. I also couldn't stop humming the concerning hobbits score. It eventually moved onto me singing 'In Dreams'

_When the cold of winter comes _

_Starless night will cover day _

_In the veiling of the sun _

_We will walk in bitter rain_

_But in dreams _

_I can hear your name _

_And in dreams _

_We will meet again_

_When the seas and mountains fall _

_And we come to end of days _

_In the dark I hear a call _

_Calling me there, _

_I will go there _

_And back again_

Thorin lost his way at some point. Nothing I hadn't expected. After all, he said he got lost twice in the film. However, as seemed to be the case in most males, he refused to ask for directions. There were still a few hobbits out and about. We could have asked any of them. But noooo, that's too easy.

"The directions Gandalf gave me are useless" he moaned "We turned left back there and there should be a fork in the road but there isn't"

He'd been going on like that for a while. I leaned against a tree as I let him rant. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a young hobbit couple making their way up the path.

"I'm asking for help" I said, already pushing off the tree.

"I said no"

I ignored him and walked over to them. They were a little shocked to see me.

"Hello, my name is Leah" I gave them a little wave. Why did I tell them my name? I'm already being awkward "Erm I'm lost and I was wondering if you could help"

"Of course, I'm Gerold and this is my wife Shelby. Where did you need to be going?"

"Bag End. There's a party I'm supposed to be going to"

Their eyebrows raised at that "Mr Bilbo's having a party eh, with elves no less? He kept that quiet" Gerold joked.

I could feel the gossip spreading already. Sorry Bilbo. "Yeah"

"Oh well you're not too far away. If you go back up this hill, turn right and then left again you should be there" said Gerold, pointing in the directions he was saying.

"Thank you so much," I said.

"Oh no worries Miss, you have a good night now" said Shelby.

"You too" I called after them as they walked on by.

I walked back over to Thorin who was moodily leaning against a tree.

"See that wasn't so hard was it"

"Just keep walking" he grumbled

The directions Gerold had given us held true and Bag End revealed itself. I could see the glowing mark Gandalf had left on the door. Happy shouts and singing came from inside the hobbit hole. For a moment I was frozen. Kili was in there. I hadn't actually thought about what would happen when I saw him again. What would I even say? My hands drifted up to my pointed ears.

"What's wrong?" I heard Thorin ask.

"Oh god Kili's in there. What am I going to say? I've been turned into an elf. What if he doesn't like me anymore?" I was being stupid I know I was. If the movie was anything to go by, Kili had no qualms against liking elves. But this was real life now. Everything could be different.

"Stop worrying, it'll be fine" he sighed.

Still feeling self-conscious, I lifted my hood up to cover my ears. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Opening the gate, he made his way up to the door. I stood directly behind him, feeling nervous and shy about being seen. A big cheer erupted from the centre of the hobbit hole signalling the end of their song.

"Right" said Thorin "Time to break up the party"

_Dad-mode activate. Thorin your protective side is showing. Next chapter is the reunion scene. Ozodl ezun muzm!- Vile hateful beasts Abrâfu shaikmashâz- descendant of rats In Dreams- Howard Shore_


	15. And all this longing

_This chapter was a bigger pain to write than I thought it would be. Having to add movie dialogue in was more awkward._

Nerves were eating me alive as Thorin knocked on the door. My stomach was doing so many flips I'm surprised it wasn't an acrobat. I don't even know why I was so nervous. Deep down I knew that Kili would be happy to see me. It was only my anxiety that was trying to convince me otherwise.

The sounds of cheering stopped suddenly at the sound of Thorin's knock. An apprehensive tension filled the air. My heartbeat crept up as I heard people shuffling behind the door. I was still hidden behind Thorin when the door creaked open. Over Thorin's shoulder I could see a large group of dwarves, a wizard and a hobbit. Searching I tried to find Kili's face but I couldn't see from this vantage point.

"The directions you gave us we're less than helpful Gandalf. We lost our way twice" said Thorin as he walked into the house.

I could hear a few confused mumblings "We?"

Some of the dwarves peered over Thorin's shoulder and saw me still half covered by my hood.

"Ah yes," he said, turning towards me "Kili, look who I found on my journey"

Thorin guided me into the house as he spoke. Shocked faces gazed at me from all the dwarves. It made me feel self-conscious. I searched around frantically before my gaze finally landed on who I wanted.

Kili

It was him. He was actually here. Seeing him made my heart sigh in relief. I was overwhelmed by the sudden emotion and a half crazed smile spread across my face. "Kili!"

His mouth dropped open almost comically and his eyes brimmed with emotion. I launched myself at him. Not caring about the others around me. My arms wrapped around him and I buried my face in his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me without hesitation. Crushing me to him. It felt like home.

"Leah?!" his voice cracked slightly. "How, How are you here?"

"It's a long story" I mumbled into his shoulder.

We probably stood like that for a touch too long as I heard a few pointed coughs. I extricated myself from Kili and smiled at him. His expression mirrored my own, a smile stretched across his face.

"Ye never told us she was an elf maid lad" came a voice from behind me.

My face dropped and I turned towards the speaker. The top of his head was shaven with complex runes tattooed to his crown. Dwalin, it must be. My hood had fallen down when I hugged Kili so my new elven ears were clearly on display. I covered my ears self-consciously.

"What?!" Kili sputtered.

He looked up to me with wide eyes. His hand reached up and gently grabbed my chin. He tilted my head slightly so that he could see my ears. A shocked gasp fell from his mouth when he saw them. I could feel my cheeks heat up from his stares.

"When did this happen?!" he asked, bewildered.

"That's a long story too," I said in a small voice, not looking him in the eyes. Oh god I have no idea what he's thinking. What if he thinks I've tricked him or something. Like haha fooled you I was an elf all along.

"We can discuss that later" said Thorin in a commanding voice. "Right now there are more pressing matters at hand"

Thorin turned towards the hobbit in the middle of the room. Bilbo was nearly a head shorter than Thorin but he still held his own beneath his stare. "So you must be Mr. Baggins, Tell me how much fighting has a hobbit like yourself done?"

He didn't need to be so rude. Bilbo would become a valued member of his company if he let up a little. I felt a hand slip into mine. Looking down I saw that Kili had entwined his fingers with my own. He squeezed it reassuringly.

"Fighting? The only thing I've done even remotely similar would be a game of conkers" Bilbo asked flabbergasted. "Why is that relevant at all?"

Thorin sighed, looking like he knew best "I thought so, you look less like a burglar and more like a grocer"

A few chuckles emanated around the room from the dwarves. I didn't laugh though, I didn't want Bilbo to feel any worse. The poor hobbit looked so frantic and stressed about the whole situation. Thorin removed his large coat and handed it to a blonde haired dwarf. That must be Fili! Kili's brother. I'd wanted to meet him for so long now. Reigning in my excitement I realised that everyone was moving to another room.

Bilbo was still stood in the middle of the room while the rest vacated. I felt a tugging at my hand, causing me to look around to Kili.

"Come on we should get you something to eat," he said. There was still an astonished look in his eyes as if he wasn't convinced that I was actually there.

"Yeah" I nodded "Just one minute though."

I let of of Kili's hand and made my way over to Bilbo. "Hello, you must be . I'm Leah" I offered my hand towards him.

He happily shook my hand, his politeness not knowing when to quit. "Yes, yes hello"

"You have a really lovely home" I said, looking around "I know you weren't expecting any of us but I'm very grateful you let me in"

"Oh, yes, thank you. And of course I wouldn't just leave you outside. No self-respecting hobbit would leave a young lady out on their doorstep" said Bilbo.

I smiled down at him "Well I hope the dwarves haven't eaten everything. I haven't actually had dinner yet" I mused.

"No no, I'll make sure you have something. Don't worry" he said quickly. He swiveled his head around and realised that most of the dwarves had now moved on "Go find a seat and I'll search for some food"

Then he was off. Striding to a different part of the house with all the confidence he could muster. Kili was back then. His hand was on my back leading me into the dining room. A lot of the dwarves turned to surreptitiously glance at me when I walked in. A few looked suspicious but I think they were most were just curious looks. It still made me feel self-conscious though. My face heated up and I looked down. Kili pulled a chair out for me before sitting down next to me. On my other side was a blonde dwarf with a very satisfied smirk on his face.

"So you're the famous Leah that Kili won't stop talking about" He said with a grin.

"Oh I am, am I?" I turned towards Kili, raising my eyebrows. Did he really talk about me? the thought sent a warm feeling across my chest.

"Fili, shut up" Kili said through his teeth.

"Oh I'm only having a bit of fun brother" then he turned back to me "Fili, at your service" he bowed his head as he said it. "I'm Kili's older brother. It's good to actually meet you"

There was a sincerity in his voice. Such that it sounded like he was genuinely happy to meet me. It made me smile. I'm so glad that he seemed to like me.

"Kili's told me a lot about you too" I added "It's cool to actually meet you".

Fili raised his eyebrows slightly "So you're where Kili got all these strange new words from".

Bilbo came around not one minute later, half frazzled, with a plate full of food. It looked like he'd piled it with whatever he could find. I accepted it off of him with a smile and a thank you. There were a few scones, a bread roll, some cherry tomatoes, cheese and an apple. I happily dug in, starving from our journey. Thorin only wished to have some of the soup that was left over.

While I was half-way through my bread roll I looked up to see a very tall wizard giving me a quizzical look.

"Would anyone like to introduce me to this young elleth here?" said Gandalf.

"Er my name's Leah Orrison" I looked around the room. All eyes were on me.

"Do you mind if I ask you how old you are? It's not often I come across an elf of your...stature" said Gandalf.

Dude's calling me short, I realised. "I'm 20" shocked gasps came from around the table "But technically I think it's my birthday tomorrow. I'm not sure though because my days all got jumbled up"

This would be the first birthday where my mum wasn't there to celebrate with me. I think mum was originally planning some kind of day trip to the seaside. Now she's god knows where. At least I wouldn't be alone for my birthday though. Kili was here. As well as a whole other company of dwarves that I hadn't had the chance to acquaint myself with yet.

"To my knowledge there has not been an elf born for hundreds of years now. I'm surprised that this is the first time that I'm hearing of you" said Gandalf, his voice skeptical.

"That's probably because I'm not from this world and I _was _human before I landed here four weeks ago"

Gandalf eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline and I heard a few shocked gasps from around the table. Not all the dwarves were aware of me or my situation it seems.

"Another world? What d'ya mean by tha' lass?" I turned to look who asked me the question. Their hair was dark brown and their mustache was long and unbraided. He had a very cool russian style hat on. Was it Bofur then?

"As in I lived somewhere completely different to here. It was just called Earth and there's no magic or Valar or anything like that. And Middle Earth was just a story"

There were a few grumblings about the validity of my statement.

"It's true" Kili came to the rescue "I've been there myself. It's a strange world that's nothing like this one"

"How did you come to be in that world Kili?" asked Gandalf, an inquisitive look in his eye.

Kili looked thoughtful for a second, trying to think of a way to explain. "There was some kind of gateway. I literally fell into it when I was pushed off of the side of a cliff"

"And is that how you returned here as well?" said Gandalf.

Kili nodded.

"I'd heard that ye'd gone missing fer a few days but I had no idea ye'd gone to another world lad" said who I assumed was Bofur.

Then Kili turned to me with his eyebrows creased together "How did you get here Leah?"

"Well that portal thing showed up again like a week after you'd gone and basically kidnapped my mum. Then it came for me not long after" I said.

"Wait, Ellen's here too? where is she?"

I looked down at my hands and started tracing the runes on my bracelet. "I don't know" I said, voice suddenly full of emotion.

Kili reached over and covered my hand with his. Squeezing reassuringly.

"Let's get back to the matter at hand" said Gandalf "Leah, when you said that, in your world, Middle Earth was a story. What did you mean by that?"

There was a glint of something in his eye. I had a feeling he already guessed what I was going to say. "Well this world's history is written as fictional stories back in my world. Like the war of the last alliance… or the desolation of Smaug"

Emotions flickered in the dwarves eyes when I mentioned Smaug. Gandalf however leaned forward slightly.

"Just the histories?" The glint was still in Gandalf's eyes

"N. No" I said, looking to Kili and Thorin before answering. Thorin gave the barest of nods, so I guessed it was okay to tell everyone. "The stories in my world extend past this point into the future".

There were many scoffs and sounds of disbelief. I mean you couldn't really blame them. It's not everyday a random person shows up and says she knows the future is it?

"It's true" said Kili "She told me that Bilbo would be joining the company over six months ago. Gandalf hadn't even told us who he'd chosen until a month ago"

There were looks of astonishment around the table. Along with one very annoyed hobbit behind me "A Month?! You only spoke to me this morning!"

"Now, now Bilbo let us not get into the semantics of it" said Gandalf trying to calm a very disgruntled Bilbo.

"So yer a seer then?" asked another dwarf, this one with ginger hair. Gloin, maybe?

I didn't want these dwarves to think that I was some kind of magical being with the power of foresight. That would only result in failure when I couldn't 'see' an incoming problem.

"Not really, I only know one version of events that might happen. It could all change" Kili hand squeezed mine harder. He knew exactly what potential events could come to pass. He wanted to change those events as much as I did.

"That remains to be seen, but I think your foreknowledge could be infinitely useful on our quest. The Valar obviously put Kili in your path and brought you here for a reason. I believe that reason was for you to join us" said Gandalf, sounding incredibly wise.

I nearly sighed in relief when he said that. Thank god I didn't have to goad him into letting me join. My relief was cut short however by cries of "No!"

"I cannot guarantee her safety" said Thorin

"She could be hurt!" said Kili.

I could understand Thorin saying no but the fact that Kili didn't want me to go either hurt a little bit.

"Please Thorin! I could help" I pleaded. He had to let me go.

"But.." Kili tried to say something else but I cut him off with a pleading look. His own eyes were slightly panicked.

"You would deny this company a valuable asset Thorin Oakenshield?" Gandalf's voice suddenly had an edge to it. "When the Valar themselves seem to want her here?"

"There are many dangers ahead of us" The resoluteness of Thorin's tone was wavering.

"And she may be able to warn us of those before they happen"

"She could get hurt"

"So could anyone in this company yet they have chosen to follow you all the same. Leah has said herself that she wishes to help and she knows better than we do of what dangers are to come" said Gandalf, matter-of-factly.

Thorin leaned back in his chair. HIs face was very difficult to read as he pondered his thoughts for a few moments. Then he sighed deeply down his nose and faced me.

"If you are to join us you will need training," he said, looking directly into my eyes.

Oh thank fuck for that. My relief was palpable.

"You may have some skills with a knife but you will need more than that on this quest" Thorin continued.

"Thank you so much" I added breathlessly.

I felt Kili stiffen next to me. "What do you mean she has skills with a knife? How would you know that?" he asked warily.

Oh shit Kili will not be pleased when I tell him of my almost-kidnapping. I didn't want him to feel bad. Knowing Kili he'd probably feel guilty that he wasn't there to help me. Quickly, I turned to Thorin and begged for help with my eyes. He gave a small shake of his head that basically told me that it was up to me to tell Kili.

"I stabbed a guy!" I said very fast, needing to get it out as soon as possible. Like ripping off a bandaid.

"WHAT!?" he shouted, the sound so loud and sudden it made me wince sightly "Why in Mahal's name did you need to stab someone?"

I rubbed my hands down my face and took a deep breath before continuing "I may have _almost _been kidnapped because they thought they could sell an elf child on the black market"

I squeezed my eyes shut. Good lord I should have said that in a better way. It sounded so much worse when I said it out loud. I could hear Kili's panicked comments next to me. As I suspected he had started to blame himself for not being there. Thorin thankfully came to the rescue.

"Kili what's done is done. We can't change what happened, but she's safe now. That's all that matters." said Thorin "Now can we please get back to discussing this quest"

Kili nodded, though his face was still awash with emotion. I reached for his hand and held it in both of mine. When he looked at me I gave him a small smile. "You did help me you know? Even though you weren't there you were the one that taught me how to use a knife. And it was even your dagger that I used. Without that I could be god knows where right now" I whispered.

He gave me a small smile in return.

oOo

The following meeting played out in a very similar fashion to the film. It was so strange, like being in a movie scene. The full 4D experience. Seeing the map in person was also surreal. The map my tattoo was based off of was on the table in front of me. I didn't miss the surprised noise that Kili made when he saw the image. I gave him a nudge and told him to shush. We didn't need anymore attention right now.

"The portents say that it is time we return to the mountain" said who I guessed was Gloin.

"Ravens have been seen flocking to the mountain. It's a sign that the beast's reign is at its end" said the grey-haired dwarf next to him. Probably Oin

Bilbo grew uneasy and began pacing by the table. "A beast?"

"Aye" said Bofur? "A great big fire breathing dragon, melt the flesh of yer bones it will"

Thanks for that visual Bofur. Though it's probably not helping Bilbo warm to the idea of helping you lot out. What followed was an argument about the logistics of fighting said dragon and how many dragons Gandalf had sleign in the past. It was hard to keep up with the conversation as everyone started to speak over each other. Thorin once again came to the rescue with his commanding authority. When he stood up everyone else quieted down.

"Do you not think that others would have read these signs too?" Thorin then looked over to me. I was the one that told him that Orcs wished to steal the mountain from them after all. "There will be others who wish to lay claim to what is rightfully ours. We cannot let them take it. We must seize this chance and retake our homeland"

Thorin sat back down as everyone seemed to absorb his message. A white haired dwarf on Thorin's side didn't seem as convinced.

"However the front gate is still closed. There is no way in or out of that mountain" said Balin?

It was Gandalf's turn to come to save the day as he produced the key to the hidden door. The key was so much cooler in real life. I had a small version of it once, back home. Strung along a necklace. Along with a replica of the one ring. However that gollumed me and went missing. Perhaps precious made its way to another unsuspecting hobbit.

Thorin must have recognised the key easily as he asked Gandalf where he got it from. When he told him that his father gave it to him a quick moment of vulnerability flashed across his face. Then he schooled his expression once more. He took the key from Gandalf's hand.

"If we have a key, where is the door?" asked Fili

"There are runes on this map that speak of a hidden door. But dwarven doors are often invisible when they are closed. I believe that the answer to finding this door lies somewhere on this map but I cannot read it" said Gandalf, pointing towards the map.

"Why don't we ask the one who apparently knows the future then?" said Dwalin, his voice was still very skeptical.

Everyone turned to look at me once more. All with expectant expressions. Shit. I can't remember the wording. What did it even say? Probably should have brushed up on the finer points of The Hobbit before I arrived. I knew the important parts, like giant spiders and a huge battle! that should count for something.

"Err I can't really remember what it says" I heard Dwalin scoff, it made my cheeks heat up. "There was something about a thrush and the light of Durin's day" I said in a smaller voice.

"Durin's day? We have a deadline then it seems" said Balin, ruminating on my words.

Gandalf then went on to talk about the task he had in mind for the reluctant hobbit, who's house we had invaded. Bilbo was not impressed about being asked to steal anything. He was a respectful hobbit after all. The other dwarves were starting to think the same. Surely someone like Bilbo couldn't handle this task. I knew better though. And so did Gandalf, who grew angry and scolded the dwarves for their lack of faith.

"So be it, we'll do it your way" said Thorin. Then he turned to Balin "Give him the contract. One will have to be written up for Miss Leah also."

Oooh I was getting my own contract. That made me smile. Bilbo however was not smiling. The more he read, the more concerned he grew. Bofur didn't help matters when he spoke of all the twisted things a dragon do to fuck you up. Poor Bilbo couldn't handle it and promptly fainted. I just about made it in time so that he didn't bang his head on the floor.

oOo

Gandalf helped me move Bilbo into the other room. He was heavier than he looked for someone so small. Once we got the unconscious Bilbo settled everyone else cleared out of the room. I followed suit wanting to give him some air. He'd come around to the idea of the company at some point but he needed a bit of time.

As I exited Bilbo's living room I bumped into Kili. He caught me by my arms before I could run him over. A small laugh escaped him. He looked around a little bit at all the other dwarves milling around. "Let's go outside for a minute"

"Okay" I nodded. I also wanted to be able to talk to him without all these eyes following. us.

Kili led the way and I followed him into the garden. There was a curved path towards the front gate where a lovely wooden bench sat. We wound our way towards it and sat down. None of us spoke at first, merely looked out at the view. More stars than I'd ever seen coated the sky like a blanket. The rolling hills were mostly in shadow but a few lamps of light popped up on the horizon. I turned towards Kili, just seeing him again made my heart sing. He was here. I buried my face in his shoulder, the soft scent from his hair tickled my nose. He always smelled nice. Kili's arm wrapped around my back and I felt him rest a cheek on my head.

"I can't believe you're here" he was choking up "I thought, I thought I'd never see you again"

His grip tightened around me as he spoke. As if he was scared to let me go. But I wasn't going anywhere. I leaned back so that I could see his face. He had gone misty eyed. If he carried on like this he was gonna make me cry too.

"Don't cry" I said, bringing my hand up to cup his face. "I'm here now"

A short laugh fell from his lips and he leaned into my hand "I'm not crying" he shook his head as if the notion was ridiculous. "I never cry".

I laughed at his antics and he returned a smile in kind. Kili covered the hand on his face with his own. "Can you tell me the whole story now?"

And so I did. I told him about Mum's breakdown and subsequent disappearance. About knowing it was coming for me next. Then waking up as an elf. He was, not surprisingly, very intrigued by that part. Kili looked at my ears with open fascination. I was so glad that he wasn't treating me any differently because of them. He reached up and traced a finger down the point of my ear. I'm embarrassed to say that I let out a small gasp and shivered at the sensation. My face heated up when I realised what I did.

"Sorry" I said breathlessly "They're quite sensitive now"

Kili's look heated up at my actions. But I elected to ignore it lest I get even more flustered. Why did this dwarf have to affect me so badly?

Quickly I changed the topic in hopes that my heart rate would slow. I told him about the dwarves that looked after me and singing in the tavern. He was so happy that some of his people treated me so well. Then he expressed jealousy at not being able to hear me sing at the tavern. I saved the worst until last. It took a lot for me to tell him about the creepy men. My heart started pounding and panic rose up as I recalled it. Kili held me close to him to help me calm down.

HIs anger was visceral. Worse than when he confronted Ethan. It took a lot of effort for me to calm him down. After he was calm we drifted into silence. I leaned against his shoulder and Kili wrapped an arm around me. We stayed like that for a little bit, just happy to be with each other. At one point my hand had drifted to rest on his chest. Over his heart. His own hand covered mine. I realised then that I'd never actually told Kili about my feelings for him. The way he had reacted seemed to hint that he felt the same way. It made my head spin. However, I was very much a coward in this respect. Even in the case of overwhelming evidence there was still doubt in my mind. Maybe this is how he acts with friends.

As my inner musings were reaching a fever pitch, I felt my hand brush against something. I moved my hand away from his chest slightly, Kili dropped his hand away at the same time. A giggle rose up at what I saw. "Is that a zip?" I asked

Kili's face lit up too. "It is in fact. A tailor saw the one on my jacket and was amazed by the design. You will be happy to know it is now a dwarven fashion trend"

"No way" holy shit that is so funny. Do I count as an influencer now? A trendsetter?

"I knew you'd find it funny" he looked so happy.

As we were both laughing a pointed cough alerted us to a new arrival. We hadn't heard someone come outside as we were too busy talking. Turning around we saw that it was Fili.

"Uncle would like a word with you Kili" he said "Don't worry I can keep Leah company"

Kili looked unsure for a second. Whether it was because Thorin wanted to speak with him or because he was leaving me I wasn't sure.

"Okay" he said and made his way inside. I heard him say something to his brother as he walked past. I'm pretty sure it was 'Behave'.

"Always brother dearest" Fili said with a smirk.

When Kili's retreating form had left our eyeline Fili started towards the bench. "Move over a bit I'm not that small" he joked.

Granted I was in the middle and the side that he wanted to sit on wasn't very big. I shuffled over to the other side of the bench to let him in. He sat down with a long sigh, a very big grin then stretched on his face. I was a little nervous, I desperately wanted Fili to like me. Well to be honest I had a need for everyone to like me but that's besides the point. Fili was Kili's older brother. Who he looked up to and loved fiercely.

"He cares about you a lot you know." he said.

My heart bit picked up at that. "I care about him a lot too"

"Good" his bravado then seemed to slip somewhat.

He sighed deeply before looking down at his hands. "I never thought I would get to meet you so I apologise for my shoddy excuse for a thank you"

"A thank you?"

"You saved him. If it wasn't for you or your world then my little brother would be dead right now. At the bottom of a cliff or mauled by a warg" his voice caught as he spoke "I saw him fall and I thought that I'd failed as an older brother"

Seeing him break was awful. I knew that he didn't really know me but I wanted to offer him comfort. Grabbing one of his hands I squeezed it between my own. "You didn't fail, it wasn't your fault that a warg showed up"

"I should have been faster" he was looking out, not really seeing the horizon.

"Then you might have been killed too." I said "Look Kili is alive and healthy you didn't fail at anything"

Fili gave me a small smile. Then he sniffed and shook his head "Sorry I didn't mean to get emotional there. I'm 'cooler' than that. Did I use that word right?"

"You did" I said, smiling brightly.

A more genuine smile spread across his face then "You have no idea what it felt like when I saw him again. Perfectly healthy, no injuries at all. Wearing the weirdest clothes I've ever seen" We both chuckled at that.

"Hey, I helped him choose that shirt" I joked back with a nudge.

"I'm sure you did," he said with a smile.

"It wasn't only me that helped him." Fili raised an eyebrow "My Mum helped the most. If it wasn't for her I'd probably have more than just this to show from that warg."

I lifted my sleeve up to reveal the scars from the warg attack. They had faded slightly since I became an elf but they were still quite visible.

"A lady with battle scars" Fili lifted his brows "I like it"

"Shut up" I said, giving his shoulder a shove.

oOo

We stayed out there for a little bit longer before deciding to join the rest back inside. Kili was a little red in the face when we showed up. I wonder what Thorin wanted to talk about. It was probably to do with me wasn't it. He smiled at us and tried to look less flustered. Fili smirked and patted his brother on the back.

Looking through to Bilbo's sitting room I saw that he was back in the world of the living. I excused myself for a minute and went over to talk with him.

"Will I come back?" Bilbo asked Gandalf.

"We cannot be certain and you will be a changed hobbit if you do" Gandalf replied

Bilbo looked down again "Then I think you need a different hobbit" he said in a small voice.

They both turned around to look at me as I entered the room. I gave them a small wave and a 'hello' in greeting.

"Hello my dear" said Gandalf, in a very grandfatherly voice. He then looked between Bilbo and I "Perhaps you could help convince him" then he glided out of the room.

It was rather strange seeing such an old man walk with such grace. Then again he wasn't a man at all. Istari have swagger it seems. I turned back towards Bilbo and made my way over to his chair. There was a little footstool in front of it that I plonked myself down on.

"So you're the future teller then" Bilbo said.

"I guess you could say that"

He looked down at his cup of tea. "You knew about me. In your stories I was in them"

"You were"

He looked back up at me "And it wasn't just at the beginning with me refusing to go was it?"

I shook my head and gave him an encouraging smile.

"How can that be?" he sighed "I don't have any of the right skills for something like this. I can't fight and I'm definitely not a burglar" he said with a self-deprecating laugh.

"You'll learn I promise. If you stop being so hard on yourself, you'll realise that you can do a lot more than you think. "

"Well forgive me if I don't quite believe that"

It was sad seeing Bilbo with such low confidence. He was going to do great things he just needed to believe in himself more.

"I wasn't an elf until a few weeks ago. A lot can change in a short time" I joked, trying to lighten the mood "And you won't be the only outsider. Not only am I an elf among dwarves I'm also from a different world"

Bilbo chuckled "I guess so. Though you do already have some friends"

"Yeah" I chuckled back. "Also, forgive the dwarves for raiding your pantry. In their defence they thought you had already agreed to come. They were simply cleaning out the cupboards so the food wouldn't go bad when you left"

Bilbo had a thoughtful look on his face "That actually makes more sense now"

I made to stand up, Bilbo following my action. "Just have a think on it tonight, okay?" Then I paused before continuing "Pack a bag, even if you decide you don't want to go. It'll just make things easier if you do… And pack a handkerchief" I added with a smile.

"A handkerchief, that's a good idea"

We were quickly jolted from our musings by a harmonious humming. My mouth dropped open in a gasp and Bilbo looked confused. I turned Bilbo around by the shoulder and hastily led him towards the singing. He was not going to miss this. I left him by the doorway and made my way over to Kili. He was stood staring into the fire. I don't think he saw me as he jumped slightly when I stood next to him. He gave me a short nod of his head, his face remained somber. I gave his hand a quick squeeze.

_Far over the misty mountains cold_

_To dungeons deep and caverns old_

_We must away ere break of day_

_To find our long-forgotten gold_

_The pines were roaring on the height_

_The winds were moaning in the night_

_The fire was red, it flaming spread_

_The trees like torches blazed with light_

Somehow I resisted the urge to sing along. This was a special moment for the dwarves and they definitely didn't want me to be joining in. All the dwarves were unified as they looked to their leader. You could tell how much they believed in him.

The dwarves started to disperse then. Wandering off to different parts of the house to find somewhere to sleep. I wasn't sure where I should be going. I decided just to stick with Kili. It seemed like the best idea. Kili and Fili found another room. This one had one very cushioned chair in one corner and a writing desk. An argument ensued about who would get the comfy chair. They wanted me to take it but I told them that I'd be fine on the floor.

"Trust me, I'm helping you" said Fili, a hand over his heart "Kili is a cuddler if you slept next to him there would be no escape"

Kili told Fili to shut up and punched him in the arm. My cheeks heated up a touch as I recalled just how true Fili's statement was. It had taken all my dexterity to extricate myself from Kili that time I had fallen asleep on him.

"Believe me I know" I whispered under my breath.

Fili's eyebrows shot up. Okay, I hadn't meant for anyone to hear that. Fili however looked as if Christmas had come early. He turned towards Kili with a mock shocked face.

"Scandalous"

Kili refused to look at him, instead focusing on a spot on the floor.

"Fine I'll take the chair" I surrendered. Trying to deflect from my previous statement. "If it will shut you up"


	16. We dressed up all in blue

There wasn't any windows in this room but the sunlight slowly made its way in from other parts of the house. I stretched my legs out, pointing my toes. Secretly, I was glad that they let me have the chair. After nearly a week of sleeping on the ground the soft chair was a sweet relief. Who knows when I'd get to sleep in a proper bed again. So I stayed snuggled up in the chair for a few moments longer. Soft snores emanated up from below me and I knew Fili and Kili were close by. It wasn't until I heard other people shuffling around that I finally climbed out of the chair.

I tiptoed around the brothers, not wanting to wake them up yet. They probably had a bit longer to stay asleep. Sunlight poured through the windows as I moved more towards the front of the house. A couple of people were milling about in the dining room. Sorting out their packs and having a small breakfast. Gandalf was sat in one corner smoking his pipe. He gave me a small smile when he saw me and waved me over. The white haired dwarf was next to him, pouring over some papers on the table.

"Ah Leah my dear" then he pointed to the dwarf "This here is Balin, though I suspect you may have known that already" A knowing smile curved the corners of his mouth.

I might have had an inkling yes. Balin looked up from his papers at the mention of his name. He gave me a genuine smile and I smiled back

"It's nice to meet yer lass. I've drawn up a contract here for ye to sign" he pointed to the paper. "It's very much like all the others and ye will get a cut of the treasure"

I raised my eyebrows at that. That was a surprise. For some reason I just assumed that they wouldn't give me any treasure, it's not like I really wanted any. I looked down at the contract, I had to twist my head slightly to read it properly. It seemed similar to the one that Bilbo had been reading out yesterday. Only mine had a new section just for me. Essentially saying that I won't reveal sensitive information about the future to anyone outside of the company. You couldn't really argue with that. Fortunately, I didn't exactly have anyone else to tell. Unless you count Lord Elrond, I have a feeling he'd probably find out sooner or later. Whether from me or Gandalf.

Balin handed me a pen and I signed my name. It wasn't the easiest thing as it was some kind of quill that required a pot of ink. Several big splotches fell onto the page as I tried to write. I apologised for the messy scrawl and handed the contract back to Balin. He gave it a quick once over before deciding that everything was in order. Then he folded the contract up and left the room. Probably to give it to Thorin.

A few more dwarves were awake now. Following the smell of toast. Turning around I came face to face with a very enigmatic dwarf. His hair was black and white and there was a very noticeable axe protruding from his forehead.

"Imnê Bifur zai adshânzu. Abnâmul tada abdakhizu" he said very fast.

I had no hope at all of understanding what he said. I wasn't about to be rude though so I gave him a polite smile and said hello.

"He was saying that his name is Bifur and that it's nice to meet ye lass" came a voice from behind Bifur. He emerged and placed a hand over his chest, a small bow to his head "I'm Bofur, his cousin"

So that's how 'Nice to meet you' is supposed to be pronounced in khuzdul. No wonder Kili laughed at my pronunciation when I tried to say it all those months ago. "Hello, it's nice to meet you too"

"That one over there is my brother Bombur" he pointed across the table to a very large ginger dwarf. "He's a bit shy. Say hello Bombur"

Bombur looked up at me and gave me a very brief and tentative hello. Then he went back to piling toast onto his plate. Bifur started saying something else, speaking very fast I'm surprised that Bofur could keep up. His hands moved along as he spoke. It must have been Iglishmek, the dwarven sign language.

"Bifur would like to know if yer had any food yet. He's concerned Bombur over there has stole all the bread" said Bofur, an amused smirk creeping up onto his face.

Bombur gave a disgruntled noise at the accusation and it made me giggle. "Er no I haven't had anything yet. I only came in a little bit before you did"

"Right then" Bofur nodded before reaching across the table and stealing a piece of toast right off of Bombur's plate "Here ye go"

He handed me the bread. It was already slathered in thick homemade Jam. Bombur was not too impressed by the thievery.

"I'm sure I can find something else, I don't want to steal your breakfast" I said, offering the toast back to Bombur.

Bombur shook his head "It's okay lass. I'll let ye have it"

I smiled and thanked him. Taking a seat at the table, I started to dig in. Being an actual gremlin in disguise I managed to get jam on the table and down my shirt. I heard Bofur laugh at the mess I'd made. He and Bifur had sat across from me next to Bombur. Bifur was chuckling at me and saying something in khuzdul. I had a feeling it was probably mocking me for eating like a child. A smile pulled at my mouth but my cheeks heated.

"Don't worry about Bifur lass. He's not speaking different to be mean" said Bofur "The thing in his head makes speaking difficult for him. He can understand everything fine but the words don't come out right. No one really knows why"

That made me pause for a moment. Why did that sound familiar? It wasn't just because I already knew about Bifur's affliction. Something else was tugging at my mind. Then it came to me. From the first psychology lecture I had dragged Kili to.

"That sounds a bit like Broca's aphasia" I said around a bite of toast.

"What's that lass" said Bofur. All the other dwarves were now looking at me expectantly as well.

"Erm there's a part of the brain towards the front called Broca's area" I motioned towards my forehead "It's responsible for speech production. So when people damage it they struggle to get their words out properly. They can understand what you're saying they just can't speak"

There was a stunned silence. "That does sound like what Bifur has" mused Bofur, then a hopeful look shone in his eyes "So if other people have this, is it fixable?"

I pondered for a moment, trying to recall exactly what the lecturer had said. "I think after a while the brain makes new connections so that they can start to speak properly again." I said "Though, I think the fact that the axe is still in your head might be stopping that from happening"

Bofur rubbed a hand through his mustache "I see. We'll have to get that looked into after this quest is over then cousin"

oOo

After a little while all the dwarves were awake. Bilbo was a no show but I knew that he'd show up later. Kili wandered into the dining room tiredly rubbing his eyes. His face lit up once he saw me and he came and sat down.

"For a second there I was concerned that I dreamt you up yesterday," he said, reaching for a cup of water.

"So do you often dream about me?" I joked.

Kili nearly spat out his drink " . nope" he said shaking his head. "Nothing of the sort"

I laughed at his embarrassed demeanor. Fili then came up behind us and patted his brother on the back.

"Oh Leah, you're making him all flustered" he quipped before sitting down on my opposite side.

I heard Kili mumble something under his breath about 'never being flustered'. Fili started munching on an apple he'd found on the table. While Kili went back to drinking his water. After downing his drink his eyes widened. As if something had dawned on him.

"Is it really your birthday today?"

I pursed my lips, puzzled. "I'm not sure because when I arrived here it was a completely different month. Though technically I think it would be today back in my world."

"We should celebrate in some way" said Fili from my right side. "You're only 21 once"

I raised an eyebrow "How are we going to do that? Were setting off today, not much time for celebrations on the road"

"Oh we'll think of something" Fili mused.

If you say so Fili. I shook my head at him, not quite believing him. Gandalf then leaned forward in his chair.

"You know, among elves, they usually celebrate the day they were conceived rather than the day they were born," said Gandalf.

My eyebrows creased together and a surprised laugh fell from my mouth "How would you know the day you were conceived?"

"Oh, elves have an uncanny ability of simply 'knowing' when they are with child. The moment the child's Fëa is formed an elf can detect it"

"That's weeeird" I surmised.

Gandalf simply chuckled and leaned back into his seat.

oOo

It wasn't long before it was time to go. We needed to sort out the ponies. Also a new one needed to be purchased for me. They had only brought enough to carry the 14 of them, along with one for supplies. I could have taken the supply horse but then the poor thing would be overburdened. That meant that it was time for horse shopping. Apparently Gandalf knew a hobbit who could sell us a horse. They lived towards the middle of Hobbiton. It was only Gandalf, Thorin and I who went to meet them. A whole company of dwarves was probably a bit overwhelming.

The hobbit's name was Ferdinand and he was a happy, portly fellow. His horses looked well cared for. He was reluctant to sell at first as he was so close to the animals. In the end Gandalf convinced him that we would take good care of the horse. I bit my tongue recalling the trolls that would potentially eat the poor thing.

The horse was slightly larger than the ponies that the dwarves had. It was also less shaggy. Their coat was a shiny grey with splodges of black along its body. She was a very patient horse which I was thankful for. I gave her a piece of apple while I stroked her nose. I'd have to think of a name for her at some point.

Looking around, I saw how Hobbiton burst to life. People wandered around with their families, off to the market or their work. These were the people that Bilbo would have to leave behind. A frown formed on my face. They were also the same people that would then auction off his possessions when he came back. Maybe I could do something to prevent that.

"Gandalf"

"Yes my dear?" said Gandalf from behind me.

"Does Hobbiton have a Mayor or something?" I asked

Gandalf arched a brow "They have a Thain. Thain Fortinbras I do believe. Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking I could help Bilbo. From the story, Bilbo comes home only to find out everyone had auctioned off his things because they thought he was dead" I said in a low voice so that no one could eavesdrop.

Both Thorin and Gandalf seemed shocked by the information.

"Oh my. That would be terribly disheartening to come home to." He looked around at the different buildings dotted around "The Thain should be over in that building over there"

Gandalf pointed towards one of the only two-story buildings that I could see. "If you'll give Thorin and I a moment to pay for your horse we can go over together"

"Everything will be done faster if I go on my own while you pay. I'll be back in a moment"

The confidence with which I said that waned as I got closer to the building. Oh god I haven't even thought of what to say. Do I just go in or do I need to knock? Thankfully, I saw a few people wander in and out freely. So it seemed I could just walk in. When I walked in the first thing I noticed was a small desk with a female hobbit behind it. Her blonde curls bounced down her back and her cheeks were very rosy. Finally, someone else with cheeks as red as mine.

"Hello" she sounded very surprised "Can I help you?"

"Erm I think I need to speak with the Thain" my voice did not sound convinced by my own words.

"That would be me my darling. How can I help you today?" a voice suddenly came from my left.

Turning I saw that there was an open doorway with a rather tall hobbit sticking out of it. He came to about my chin.

"It's about Mr Baggins"

"Bilbo? What's he up to then? and with an elf no less." he asked,a crease forming between his eyes.

"He's erm. He's going on a trip...To see Rivendell" I made up on the spot "So he might not be back for a while. But he will be back at some point and he needs to know that his possessions will be alright"

I sounded very awkward to my ears but the Thane seemed to take me seriously at least.

"Going on holiday is he? Well I'll make sure all of his things are accounted for when he gets back, don't worry" He said.

I thanked him profusely before ducking out of there quickly. That was enough awkward for one day. Gandalf and Thorin were wandering over to me as I left the building. Perfect timing.

"She's all yours" said Thorin, handing me the reigns.

It was scary and exciting at the same time. She bumped me with her nose and I gave her a little pat. Little cutie. We led her to where the rest of the dwarves were standing. Some were already sat on their ponies. Others were still attaching things to their saddles. Kili saw us wandering towards them and bounded over happily. He helped me attach my bag to the back of the horse. I still needed to think of a name. 'The Horse' just wasn't doing it for me. Thorin soon called for everyone to saddle up. We were ready to go.

Well, nearly everyone. I hesitated as nerves started to take over. I'd never actually ridden a horse properly, only a few times as a young child. Those didn't really count. Kili saw me hesitating and asked me what was wrong. Just as I went to tell him, something strange flickered in my mind.

_The horse in front of me was now a lot larger. Her coat gleamed like silver beneath my small hands. I marvelled at the softness. Without warning a strong pair of hands wrapped around my waist and lifted me up. A shocked giggle fell from my mouth as I was placed into the saddle._

"_I can do it myself Ada" I exclaimed._

_Ada smiled up at me, his eyes lighting up. "I'm sure you can tithin ven" said Ada "Now show me how you sit on a horse properly"_

_I shifted in the saddle so that I was towards the middle. Then my feet slipped into the stirrups below me, my legs gripped the horse but not too hard. I straightened my back and held my head higher. Just like I'd been shown before. _

"_Like that?"_

_Ada looked inquisitively at my positioning. "Nearly, just remember that it's only the balls of your feet that go into the stirrup" he repositioned my foot as he spoke. "Mithiel is a very patient horse and she will look after you."_

"_Okay Ada"_

_Ada beamed up at me. "Your Naneth is over there why don't you try riding towards her" _

The vision stopped all at once and I was back in my normal surroundings. Whoa, what the fuck was that? It was like a memory only it couldn't be mine. Dad never showed me how to ride a horse. Also the fact that his ears were pointed yet again didn't slip my mind. What the hell was happening to me? Kili had noticed my internal struggle. He reached a hand up to my shoulder. Sort of shaking me out of whatever that was.

"Are you okay? Your eyes sort of glazed over for a second" he asked, concern in his voice.

I shook my head "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I think" I tried to give him a convincing smile "Lets just get on our horses and we can get going"

My body seemed to automatically know what it was doing. Even if my mind was reeling. In one smooth motion I was on the horse and in the stirrups.

"Have you done this before?" Kili asked, impressed.

"No" I tried to keep the panic from my voice.

oOo

The horse ended up being called Mithiel. If it was good enough for that weird not-memory then it was good enough for me. It was a pretty name at least and seemed to suit her well anyway. She was a very well-behaved horse and followed along after the others. A few of them had named their own. I remembered Myrtle and Minty from the films. Dwalin's pony had a surprising name. Fallulah. It seemed too flowery for someone like Dwalin. I was expecting something more like 'Hatchet'. The name of Kili's horse was my favourite though. He named it Merlin. I knew he liked that story when I told it to him. When Kili asked me what I had named my horse though, he gave me a confused face.

"What does that mean?" he said, a crease forming between his eyes.

"No Idea" I relented, shaking my head.

"It means Grey daughter, my dear. Quite fitting for her colouring"

I swivelled my head around to see Gandalf riding alongside us. His horse was full sized and towered above us.

"How did you come by such a name?" his eyebrows raised in question.

"I don't know" I mumbled, looking away. I couldn't tell you why I didn't want to tell Gandalf the truth. In all fairness it was probably because I didn't want people to look at me like I was a freak.

I could tell by Gandalf's face that he wasn't convinced by my answer "I see" was all he said before he urged his horse further forward.

The rest of the dwarves had introduced themselves to me while we rode. Some were more jovial than others. Gloin, Oin and Dwalin gave me very brief introductions. I just about got in a 'nice to meet you' before they rode ahead. Ori, Nori and Dori stayed around a little longer for a chat. Nori's voice always seemed to have a suggestive lilt to it and he was fond of wagging his braided eyebrows at me. Dori was very proper and most definitely a mother hen. Especially to his younger brother Ori. Ori himself was very eager to say hello to me. I could tell he was still rather shy but his excitement got the better of him. He wanted me to tell him everything about my world. Told me he wanted to write it all down.

It wasn't long before the bets started flying around. Would Bilbo show up? Who knows? Oh wait, I do.

Kili leaned in towards me from his pony. "So, will you be betting any money oh future teller?" he waved his eyebrows at me.

"I don't think they'll let me" I said "It would be like betting against a rigged game"

"We'll place the bet for you," said Fili coming up on my other side "They'll never know"

I pondered for a second. He made a strong case and I could use the extra money. "Deal" I said before rifling through my pack. Trying to find that money pouch I'd gotten from Rildolach. When I finally found it I pulled it out of my bag. The coins jingled musically in the bag as I pulled it out. It's weight had gotten quite significant over the time I'd spent with Vivni and Alldi. There was never anything to spend it on and there was only so much I could sneak into their bags before they got suspicious. Though I still wasn't certain about what each coin was worth I'm sure there was a fair sum in the bag.

I handed the bag over to Kili. His eyes widened at the weight of the bag. "Where did you get this from?"

"You're looking at a successful Bard" I said, flicking my hair sarcastically.

So Fili and Kili placed my bet for me. There were a few suspicious glances but no one called me out for cheating. Everyone was chatting amongst themselves when I caught the sound of pounding feet. I turned around to try and hear the sound better. Soft yells started to carry on the wind. However no one else seemed to notice yet.

"Bilbo's here" I spoke loudly so everyone could hear me.

Several dwarves stopped their ponies and many were looked around.

"Where? I can't see anything" said Dwalin.

The shouts were getting louder. Surely they could hear him now. Thankfully some faces flickered towards the sound and they realised that I was correct. A breathless Bilbo appeared over the crest of a hill. Dressed for adventure and contract in hand.

"Told you" I gave a self satisfied smile.

Bilbo ran up towards Thorin "Look, look I've signed it. I would like to join your company"

Thorin took the contract from Bilbo's outstretched hand. He gave it a quick once over before handing it to Balin. Balin gave the contract a more indepth perusal before admitting Bilbo into the company of Thorin Oakenshield.

Bilbo was pretty adamant about walking beside everyone. However he didn't get much of a choice when a couple of dwarves lifted him up onto a pony. He was most definitely not in his element. The reigns were held in his hands as if the whole thing was about to explode any second. Fortunately his pony just followed on after the others and Bilbo didn't need to steer at all.

I moved my horse closer to his. My new found horse skills still amazed and terrified me. Bilbo smiled upon seeing me and I return the expression in kind.

"Thank you for convincing me to pack a bag last night," he said, "It made racing to catch up with you a little easi..ah..achoo" he sneezed

Holding up a finger, he reached into his bag and withdrew an embroidered handkerchief. He wiped his nose quickly before tucking the handkerchief away. "And thank you for reminding me about a handkerchief. You're a lifesaver"

"You're welcome Bilbo" I paused for a moment "Oh I told the Thain that you were leaving for a while"

Bilbo was taken aback. A deep crease formed in the middle of his eyes "The Thain? What for?"

"I told him that you were going away for a while but that you would return at some point. That way, hopefully, all your stuff won't be auctioned off because they think you're dead. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins will have to find another way to steal your silverware" I explained.

A shocked gasp fell from his mouth "Is that, you know? the future thing. Was that what was going to happen? The thieving. conniving little…"

I let him rant for a little bit. Those Sackville-Bagginses could be real pieces of work apparently.

oOo

**Kili**

She was here.

His One.

He had prayed nearly everyday, hoping that there was some way that he would see her again. The moment he saw her standing next to his Uncle, time stopped. His heart skipped a beat and the breath caught in his lungs. Surely what he was seeing was some kind of illusion. A conjuring his own mind had made up to cope with the pain. Then she smiled, an emotion so happy it took over her whole face. She called his name and then she was in his arms.

Real, she was real.

Leah was in his arms again. All of his prayers answered at once. Mahal she even smelled the same. It took everything in him not to choke up. He drank in all of her features like a person dying of thirst. Committing them memory so that he would never forget them. If, by some cruel twist of fate, this was all a dream he was going to remember everything.

But it wasn't a dream. Leah was really here, in his world… And apparently now an elf. Now he definitely couldn't say that it wasn't a shock. It's not everyday that you're One becomes an entirely different being. But he was not going to let it spoil their reunion. Kili could tell that she was insecure about her transformation. However, he didn't view her any differently. She still took his breath away, beautiful as ever. Also, and he would never tell anyone this, he liked Leah's new ears. They suited her.

When she told him about what had nearly happened to her he saw red. A combination of fear, rage and shame had flown through him. Leah had nearly been taken away from him and he had, had no idea. He should have been there. The thought of what could have happened made him feel sick. It took everything in him to try and calm himself down after that. Her being wrapped in his arms probably helped the most.

Kili knew that he needed to talk to Leah. This whole situation was mind-boggling and he had no idea about where they stood relationship wise. He had given her a courting gift but never got to tell her that, that's what it was. Her world was so much different than his, she probably thought that it was simply a gift between friends. Maybe she wanted to be just friends. But then again she did kiss him. That must mean something right? But she was also drunk at the time and now can't remember it. Oh Mahal why couldn't this be easier?

He was interrupted from his internal battle by his brother. Uncle Thorin wanted to speak with him. His heart yearned to stay with Leah, not wanting to leave her side. However, he knew that, that wouldn't be practical and that he shouldn't ignore his uncle. Fili offered to keep Leah company and Kili narrowed his eyes. Knowing his brother he was probably looking for a way to tell Leah of every embarrassing thing he'd ever done. A quick 'Behave' was all he said to Fili before making his way inside.

Thorin was speaking in hushed tones to Balin when he went inside. Upon seeing him, Thorin nodded goodbye to Balin and made his way over to Kili. Grabbing him by the shoulder, Thorin then led him into a different part of the house so that they were alone. What followed was a very awkward conversation. It was about the behaviour that was expected between him and Leah while they were part of the company. 'No fraternising' was the term that Thorin had coined. Under no circumstances would they wander off alone together. Kili's face had gone bright red with what Thorin had been insinuating.

When he had woken up the next day he nearly had a panic. She wasn't on the chair where they had left her. For a dark second he'd thought that he had imagined her last night. Then her melodic voice bounced from somewhere in the house and he felt himself relax again. He'd told her of his brief panic when he walked into the room. How he'd thought she was all a dream. Kili had said it jokingly but deep down he knew that it was a very real fear.

When she had asked if he normally dreamt about her he nearly spat out his drink. There may have been some truth to it. In the six months that he didn't see her, she would often appear in his dreams. One of the most memorable ones was of them dancing. He'd spin her around and her laugh would light up her face. Then he'd whisper 'Menu tassu, mi yâsith' (_You mean everything to me, my wife_) into her ear before bringing her closer and kissing her. That one always hurt the most when he thought he would never see her again. The idea of being able to call her his wife one day made his heart race. In other dreams a kiss would escalate into...other things. He shook his head and tried not to think about those particular ones. Mahal, he needed something stronger than water to drink.

Of course, Leah had been correct in saying that a certain hobbit would show up. Kili obviously bet with her and now sported a heftier sum than he previously did. Fili divided up their winnings and gave Leah her share. There were a few sounds of protest when they realised that Leah had betted. Gloin had cried cheating because they'd conferred with a seer. He didn't let it get to him though. Simply flashing Gloin a large grin and conspicuously counting out his new coins.

They would be staying in the small town of Bree for that night before venturing through the wilderness in the morning. Everyone would be staying at an Inn called The Prancing Pony. Rooms were booked for groups of twos or threes. Thorin had shut him down with simply a look before he could even suggest that Leah could stay with him and Fili. It wasn't fair really. It's not as if anything would happen anyway, he just wanted her to be close. So Leah was going to be staying in a room with Thorin as he was the only one who wasn't paired up with anyone.

Once everyone was settled Fili had grabbed Kili and dragged him into town. As it was Leah's birthday, they needed to find something to get her. So that's what led them to be hopeless wandering around the shops.

"What do girls even like anyway?" Fili asked the universe.

Kili was looking at various wares around the shop "I don't even know," he sighed.

Why was this so hard? Surely they should have found something by now. He knew of things that she liked from her own world but they didn't exist in this one.

"What about soap? Girls like being clean don't they" said Fili, as he rifled through a shelf. He brought several bars towards his face to sniff them. Most of them made his nose wrinkle, that suggested they weren't pleasant.

"That's not really a birthday present though is it" said Kili, defeat creeping into his voice.

"What about jewellery? I know the dwarrowdams back home go wild for that" suggested Fili "I think I saw a shop down the road that sold some"

"I've already made her a bracelet though" Kili said, picking up random pots and boxes. He inspected them briefly before putting them back.

"Yes but that was a courting gift, that's different"

Kili's hand rubbed the back of his neck as an awkward feeling overcame him. "I, erm. I may not have actually told her that it was a courting gift" he said, refusing to look Fili in the eye.

"What?!" Fili gasped "I thought you'd already told her. Does she even know how you feel about her? That she's your One?"

"No" he whispered forcefully. Kili looked around to make sure that there was no one else around to eavesdrop on his conversation. "I didn't exactly get the chance to tell her. As soon as I gave her the bracelet I ended up back here"

Fili's expression softened at his words "Well you have to tell her now"

"Yeah I'm working on it. Thorin's not exactly making it easy, I'm not even allowed to be alone with her" he grumbled.

oOo

They had left that shop pretty soon after that. On a whim they wandered into the one next door. It turned out to sell outdoor clothing, such as boots, gloves and cloaks. This one seemed more promising than the last shop. Kili dismissed the boots straight away, he had no idea which ones would fit her. She had such small feet after all. It's a miracle she could stand without falling over. Gloves were a maybe but it wasn't exactly the weather for it right now. He was still debating when he came across a cloak. It was a deep blue in colour. There were floral, organic shapes were embroidered into the cloak in gold. The material was treated so that it wouldn't soak in the rain. Now this one had potential.

Kili held it out in front of him. It wasn't too large and it probably wouldn't drag on the floor. This cloak would cover her better than the coat she currently wore. And it was pretty, like her. He'd seen her spin around in circles before, to make a dress flare out. She smiled and got dizzy. It was something he could see her doing with this cloak as well. While still holding it up he swung around to where Fili was standing.

"What about this?" Kili asked.

Fili put down a pair of gloves he had been trying on and turned around. His eyebrows rose slightly when he saw it. He tilted his head and look at it appreciatively. "It's perfect"

Turns out Kili had expensive tastes. The cloak cost more than he had first guessed. Though, thanks to their winnings, they managed to pool enough together to buy it. Then the shopkeeper was, very obviously, rushing them out of the shop once they'd bought it. They didn't like dwarves it seemed. Kili quickly shook off his frustration, already used to it. Dwarves weren't very liked among the other races. Didn't make it any less irritating.

Kili was carrying the cloak in his hands. They had planned to surprise her with it later in the evening. That was going to be harder than they planned though. As they turned the corner they saw Leah outside the Prancing Pony. Kili stopped in his tracks and quickly thrust his hands behind his back. Fili, being the helpful brother he was, came and stood directly on his right. Arms touching. That way they could hide the present better.

Leah hadn't seen them yet. She was too busy smooshing a dog's face to notice them. Thorin was stood behind her, arms crossed, waiting for her to finish. As they got closer they heard the titillating conversation between Leah and the dog.

"Look at you. So floofy" The dog was living it's best life, happily panting and accepting all the fuss it was being given "Aren't you a gorgeous boy. So wise. No don't lick me" She barely evaded the dogs tongue.

Thorin let out a sigh "I thought you told me that you weren't a child"

Leah turned to Thorin, her hand still on the dogs face. "You don't have to be a child to appreciate a dog Thorin"

"If you say so" he said with a small chuckle.

Both of them turned when Fili and Kili got closer. They got raised eyebrows when they walked so close together, hands behind their backs. Once they were too close they had do a weird side shuffle in order to hide the present.

"What are you hiding?" Leah asked with a knowing smile.

"Nothing, we were merely out for a stroll" said Fili.

"But we got tired" said Kili

"Oh yes, sooo tired"

"Super tired, best be heading inside now"

They backed through the door. Thankfully, no one was coming out so they didn't run anyone over in the process. Once they were safely out of eye range they turned back around. Both brothers turned to one another and broke into laughter.

"That was close." said Kili "Do you think she suspected anything?"

"No way, we were too sneaky" said Fili.

oOo

**Leah**

Even though I had magically developed horse riding skills, it was still a killer on my legs. They were very much unused to the jostling of a horse. It left me with achy legs and my butt went numb. When I got off the horse, I'd gotten my foot caught in the stirrups and nearly fallen backwards. I was saved by a pair of tattooed hands.

"I thought elves were supposed to be graceful lass" Dwalin said, amusement clear in his voice.

He placed me upright once more. I hastily readjusted my clothes, they had twisted as I fell. "Well I'm not exactly a very good elf" I smiled back.

"That's probably a good thing lass" he said before leading both of our horses away. There was a stable on the edge of Bree where all our horses would be staying.

It was so weird being in the actual Bree. Thankfully, it wasn't as grim as the films had made it out to be. Probably helped that it wasn't pouring with rain and in the dead of night. We were staying at _the_ Prancing Pony. Hopefully, no errant ringwraiths would pass through and try to kill us in the night. I remembered this morning wondering to myself when I'd get to stay in a proper bed again. Turns out it was today. Don't I look foolish.

Everyone was staying in groups of 2 or 3. Ori, Nori and Dori were in one room. Bifur, Bofur and Bombur were in another. Then Dwalin and Balin. Fili and Kili. Gloin and Oin. Gandalf and Bilbo. That left Thorin and I to share a room. I didn't mind, I'd spent the past week sleeping next to him. Except this time we would get something comfy to sleep on. Though, I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about not being able to share with Kili. Not that we would be sharing a bed or anything! No, I liked being close to him.

Thorin informed me that under no circumstances was I to wander unaccompanied. After what happened in Rildolach he didn't want to risk anything else happening to me. You couldn't really fault that logic I guess. So I spent the rest of the day following anyone who would let me. Fili and Kili swanned off as soon as we arrived so I couldn't follow them. I spent a bit of time with Bofur and Bifur, as they had decided to stay at the inn. Bombur was resting upstairs, horse riding didn't agree with him apparently. Ori and Dori joined us at one point too.

Bifur decided that he wanted to show me something. He revealed a small contraption from his pocket. It was shaped like a bird and there was a little lever to wind it with. When you wound it the wings would move. It was amazing and so detailed. A huge smile spread across my face.

"Did you make this?" I asked.

A string of khuzdul fell from his mouth. He then placed the toy in my hands and motioned for me to have a go.

"Aye he did lass" said Bofur next to him "We're toy makers ya see. Well Bifur is I'm more of a miner these days"

"It's amazing" I said, rotating the wings slowly.

"He brought a few things with him. To keep his hands busy"

"Khajima, Khajima tada Khuzsh!" Bifur said, very excitedly. He pointed to the bird in my hand.

"What is he saying?" I asked, turning to Bofur.

"Oh, he says it's a gift" said Bofur "Consider it a birthday present"

I was so touched, it was such a nice gift and completely unexpected. I thanked Bifur profusely. Even though I had no idea what he was saying back, I assumed he was happy. The way the birds wings flapped reminded me off an origami crane. It gave me the urge to make one. Ori very kindly gave me a piece of paper. He was a little reluctant but then he said he was going to buy more tomorrow anyway. I thanked him and started folding. The paper wasn't exactly straight so it made it a little untidy. But it still looked mostly good.

The dwarves gave me weird looks as I folded. Once I was done, I revealed my finished product to them.

"It's a bird" said Ori in amazement "How did you do that?"

"It's called origami. The art of folding paper" I said. "But check out the best bit"

Pulling slightly on the crane's tail, the wings folded inwards. I repeated it a few times to simulate the flapping of wings. All the dwarves were impressed. Bifur, on the other hand, was over the moon. Smiling and clapping his hands. I handed him the paper bird and he studied it intently. Trying it out for himself.

"I don't think yer getting that back lass" said Bofur.

"It's fine, I've got this bird he can have that one"

oOo

Needing some fresh air, I wandered outside the inn. Thorin was leaning against a post outside the door. Staring out into the street. Ever wary.

"I thought I told you to be accompanied by someone," he said.

"Yeah, now you're the one accompanying me," I said with a small smile

He gave me a long look before letting out a surrendering sigh "Fine".

We stood in silence for a little bit, just watching the people coming and going. Occasionally, I would see one of the dwarves dipping in and out of buildings. I think Balin and Gloin were sorting out some supplies. Gloin was the go-to haggler among the company. It was as I was looking out into the street that I spotted a large ball of fluff running down the middle of the street. A dog! A great big fluff ball of a dog. If I had to guess, I'd say sheepdog but I'm not sure what kind of dog breeds Middle Earth has.

It stopped it's mad sprint not far from where I was standing. Panting as if it had just ran a mile. Maybe it had. No one else was paying it any mind so it must be a regular occurrence. I tried to resist but the cuteness called me. Holding my hand out and ducking low, I approached the dog. It sniffed my hand first, tentatively, before head butting it. What then commenced was me happily smushing a dogs face.

Fili and Kili turned up as I was stroking the dog. They were very clearly hiding something behind their backs and were very bad at hiding it. Thorin and I shared an amused look once they went inside. Not long after, the dog's owner showed up. He looked like some kind of farmer.

"Found old eunice have you" He said, the dog had forgotten about me and went to jump on the man. The man rubbed the dogs head "You always want a fuss don't you"

Eunice, oh I had thought she was a boy. Nevermind.

"Well we best be off, say bye to your new friend Eunice" The dog barked on command and then followed along after her owner.

oOo

All of the company returned to the inn for an evening meal. There were a few people staring at me when I made my way inside. It's not everyday that you see a short elf with a big group of dwarves. It still made me wary. Though thankfully, I hadn't overheard anything malicious as of yet.

I made sure to sit next to Bilbo so that he wouldn't feel left out. Kili showed up and sat on my other side. Fili then sat opposite us across the table. There was a suspicious something hidden under Kili's shirt. He didn't mention it though and just started to dig into his meal. I shook my head and started to eat my own. When I looked up I witnessed Fili and Kili having some kind of non-verbal conversation with only their eyes.

When they saw I was looking they immediately looked in opposite directions. "Are you going to tell me what this is, at some point?" I poked Kili's shirt. The suspicious item seemed to be soft in nature.

"I am certain that I don't know what you speak of" said Kili very nonchalantly.

I raised my eyebrows and continued looking straight at him. My expression, clearly unconvinced.

"Fiiiine, you've caught us" he said, holding his hands up. "It's your present"

"You got me a present?" a smile tugged at mouth

"Of course we did, we said we would" said Fili.

"And is there any reason it had to be under your shirt?" I asked, bemused.

"Subterfuge" said Fili while wiggling his fingers "So you wouldn't suspect we'd got you anything"

I laughed at that. "You're subterfuge leaves much to be desired"

Kili then reached under his shirt and removed the item. There was a quick flash of skin as he lifted his shirt. I quickly averted my eyes, hoping that a blush wasn't showing on my face.

"Happy birthday Leah" Said Kili, as he offered me the item.

It was some kind of dark blue fabric. Was it a blanket? There was a fine gold trim along the edge in a cute floral design. I unfolded it to see the whole thing. It wasn't a blanket, it was some kind of cape thing. A cloak.

"Holy shit this is so cool" I squealed.

You have no idea how long I've wanted some kind of cape. The aesthetic was just perfect. I mean how much cooler does someone look when they have a billowing cloak trailing behind them.

"So you like it?" Kili asked, uncertainty still in his voice.

"I love it" I reached over and hugged him "Thank you"

"You're welcome" his hug tightened before he let me lean back.

"Thank you as well Fili" I said once I sat down "Would you like a hug too?"

Fili covered his heart with a hand, a fake gasp falling from his mouth "I would be honoured my lady"

I laughed before going around to the other side of the table and giving him a quick hug. The fact that I was so comfortable around him already made me happy. It would have been awful if Kili's older brother hadn't liked me.

Kili helped me to try on the cloak. The hood was massive and could cover my whole face. I guess that would be a good feature to have when it rained. Once it was fully wrapped around, I did a little spin. The cloak billowed out around me, just as I had hoped. Kili's eyes lit up as I span around.

"I'm glad you like it" said Kili

I looked like a wizard. Not the Gandalf type. More the Harry Potter type. I lifted one edge of the cloak up to my face so that only my eyes were visible.

"I will teach you to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses" I said in my best Severus Snape impression.

I was met with blank stares and confused smiles.

"Come on Kili I showed you Harry Potter you should have got that reference" I said giving Kili a nudge.

"If you say so" he laughed, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

_Khajima tada Khuzsh- Gift for friend Tithin ven- Little One Naneth- Mother Ada- Daddy Imnê Bifur zai adshânzu. Abnâmul tada abdakhizu- My name is Bifur, at your service. Nice to meet you._


	17. In a sky full of song

The room I was staying in, thankfully, had a wash basin in it. That meant I could be vaguely clean. In all fairness, I probably should have had a wash at Bilbo's house but a lot of things happened in a short space of time and I forgot to ask. Thorin, patiently, left the room when I asked him to. Only with a small huff. He told me he would be waiting outside the door. It was a similar arrangement to when I bathed in the river. Though this time, I probably wouldn't need to shout for danger. Unless some deranged hooligan climbed in through the window, I would be fine.

Picking up my shampoo bar, I inhaled deeply. A small sigh left me at the sweet citrus-y scent. I missed nice smelling things. Most things here were what you'd call 'earthy'. It wasn't very often you'd find something as concentrated as this soap. I needed to treasure it while it lasted. The basin was more like a glorified bucket. Slightly larger than one you would use to carry water from a well. I would be able to fit my head in at least. The water in the basin had been warming up by the fire. It was just a bit warmer than body temperature. Miles better than a freezing cold lake.

I decided to start off with my hair. There were bits of leaves caught in it from the journey. Now there was the task of trying to get my head in the water. In the end, I kneeled down by the basin and leaned forward. Dunking my head in. Sort of like when you only want to wash your hair so you lean over the bath. I'm glad no one else was in the room, it was a rather odd angle to be at. I scrubbed at my hair as well as I could. Little sticks and leaves littered the surface of the water. Wringing my hair, I tried to get as much water out as possible.

Next I moved onto the rest of my body. Using a cloth that was given to me by Vivni. I'd never actually given it back when I first used it. A little bit of guilt crept in but there wasn't much I could do about it now. Once my body was clean I decided that it was also a perfect opportunity to wash my clothes. After a week of wilderness, my clean clothes had dwindled to none. I scrubbed at the garments as hard as I could and then left them in front of the fire. The shirt I ended up putting on was Kili's. It was washed first and was the dryest when I went to get dressed.

When I was finished, I told Thorin and then left the room myself so that he could wash too. He was given fresh water though, don't worry. I don't think he would have appreciated second bath water. After both of us were done, I collapsed face first onto my bed. Probably wasn't the best idea as the mattress was very lumpy and I knocked my nose on the side. Thorin laughed when I gave a muffled "Ow". Not the soft landing I had been hoping for. Still it was better than sleeping on the ground.

The blanket on the bed was rather scratchy but it served its purpose. It felt good to be able to stretch out on a vaguely flat surface. My back was very grateful. Sleep seemed to come to me very easily that night. Flickers of dreams played through my head. Some nice and others less so. But once I was awake again they all slipped from my memory.

I was quite rudely awoken by Thorin dropping a steel toe cap boot directly next to my head. The noise and vibrations shocked me into a seating position.

"Welcome to the world of the living" Thorin mused.

My hand was clenched over my chest "Couldn't you have woken me up in a gentler way" I moaned.

"I tried, it's not my fault that they didn't work," he said "Now get up, we leave within the hour."

Turning towards the window, I realised that the sun was barely up. I suppressed a groan. This wasn't awake time, this was go back to sleep for another two hours time. With slow tired movements, I managed to pull on my boots. Then I had to actually stand up so I could collect all my-now dry- clothes and put them back in my bag. I was too tired to be fancy with it, so I just shoved them in. Creases be damned.

Thorin was waiting for me outside the room as I left. He gave me a brief nod before leading the way downstairs. A majority of the company was already up and sat at the tables. I saw Fili and Kili sat at one end and made my way over. They were talking amongst themselves as they ate-what looked like-porridge. Fili looked up first and smiled when he saw me. I smiled back and gave a small wave. Then his eyes moved lower and he froze. Eyebrows shooting up, then a mischievous grin spread across his face.

"What a lovely tunic you're wearing Leah" he said with a smirk "There's just something about it I can't put my finger on it." He put his fingers on his chin as if deep in thought "What do you think Kili?"

"Is that, Is that my shirt" he said, looking rather flustered.

Looking down at the shirt my cheeks heated up. Oh yeah, I hadn't told Kili I'd brought it with me yet.

"...Maybe" I drawled.

"Why do you have it?" Kili asked, a bemused smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

I sat down next to him before answering "You left it at my house, I was going to return it to you"

"Do you often wear the things you're supposed to return?" Fili smirked.

"Only when it's a nice shirt" I smiled back. "I can go change and give it you back if you like?" the reluctance in my voice was clear as day. After wearing it for over a month I'd grown quite attached to the garment. It was soft, durable and pretty cute.

"No, no, you can keep it" said Kili. "It can be part of your birthday presents"

"Yay" I said, giving him a small hug "Thank god you said that because I was not going to give it back. You would have had to fight me for it."

"I would have won" he smirked, confident in his own abilities.

"Not if I played dirty"

Kili leaned in, his gaze drifted over my face before settling on my eyes "I'd like to see you try"

My breath caught in my throat and I felt my whole body heat up. Good lord why does he affect me so badly? I felt myself swallow. Gathering myself together as quickly as I could, I gave my best attempt at a smirk "Bring it on"

oOo

Breakfast, as it turned out, was porridge. It was gloopy and tasteless. Not the nicest thing to start my day. I only ate half before giving the rest to Kili. The fact that he could eat this wallpaper paste just fine but he called guacamole 'wet grass' just baffled me. Not long after breakfast Thorin told everyone to pack up and meet by the horses. My bag was already packed, albeit a rather shoddy job, but packed all the same.

I walked to the stables with Fili and Kili in tow. The sun just about creeping over the trees. All the horses were already saddled and ready to go. Mithiel was nibbling at the ground when I walked over to her. I gave her nose a little stroke and fed her an apple I'd found. She hastily munched the apple out of my hand.

"Good girl" I whispered, patting her nose again.

Bits of apple and juice fell out of her mouth as she chewed. A little bit gross but she finished the snack in record time. After she was finished, I climbed into the saddle. Once again I did it completely unaided. The ease was still confusing. However, I was glad it was still there as I did not want to know what it was like to ride a horse when you have no clue what you are doing. The horse would probably run into a tree or something.

Once everyone had arrived, Thorin gave a nod and we all nudged our ponies to follow him. The day followed pretty much like the previous one. We all plodded along after one another. Occasional conversations drifting on the wind. Soon any sign of civilisation disappeared. Not even an errant little cabin in the woods. We were completely surrounded by wilderness. The trees stretched high above us.

Sometimes the path would narrow or there would be a few sheer ledges that made us have to walk in single file. I may or may not have freaked out a little as I looked over the edge. My confidence in my horse abilities was zero, even if I seemed to be working on autopilot. Thankfully, I didn't plunge to my death and the horse was calm below me. She was smarter than me, I knew. I needed to give Mithiel more credit, she wasn't going to let us fall down a hill anytime soon.

As the evening drew closer, Thorin found a spot for us to make camp. The area was reasonably flat so that it wouldn't be too uncomfortable to sleep on. There wasn't much cover though so if it rained we would definitely know about it. A small brook also ran through the trees a few metres away from camp. We let the horses have a drink and refilled our own canteens. I was very grateful for my insulated flask, it kept the water nice and cold. Nothing worse than drinking warm water, in my opinion. Well obviously there are worse things but it was nice to not have to drink warm water.

Everyone seemed to have a job to do or at least something to keep them busy. I didn't really have anything to do. That left me feeling very much like a spare part. Fili and Kili had gone to hunt for some dinner. Bombur and Bofur were starting a fire to cook with. Other people were setting up the camp. Arranging logs and rocks for people to sit on and setting up bed rolls. Balin very kindly offered me my own bedroll. He had bought one for me when we were in Bree. I thanked him profusely as I took the roll out of his hands. This would be so much nicer to sleep on than the ground. My sleeping bag could only do so much, thin as it was. This way I may not have tree roots digging into my back while I tried to sleep.

I was starting to get antsy, I didn't like just milling about while everyone else did something. In the end, I decided to just ask if people needed help. Most of the camp was already set up so the ones doing that brushed me off and told me that they were fine. Fili and Kili had already gone off somewhere so I couldn't follow them. That left Bombur to help out with.

When I walked over Bofur was nearly finished setting up a stand to hold up a pot of water over the fire. He was hammering the sticks into the ground to anchor them and prevent them from collapsing into the fire below. Bombur had some type of vegetables in front of him ready for chopping. They looked up when I came over.

"Hello" I waved

"Hello lass, ye alright?" asked Bofur, as he finished the stand.

"I'm bored actually, is there anything I can help with? I like cooking"

"I'm sure my brother would love to have a glamorous assistant" said Bofur "Isn't that right Bombur?"

Bombur looked up from his ingredients at the mention of his name. "Oh, oh yes. Of course ye can help lass."

I sat down next to Bombur. He'd laid out a little workstation on a large flat stone. If I didn't think too hard about the bacteria that was probably lingering on it I'd be okay. Though I think a dwarven immune system is probably hardier than a humans. Also my new Elven one would probably be okay too. I needed to stop worrying.

Bombur handed me a large knife and half the vegetables. The knife was considerably larger than I was used to but it wasn't too unwieldy. I helped to peel and chop up all the vegetables. My chopping was slower than Bombur's as I was being a bit too particular about the size and shape of each diced vegetable. Bombur didn't seem to mind though. Most of the veg were recognisable. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips. However, there were a few that I had no clue about. Weird tuber like vegetables that Bombur had found earlier that day. I trusted that Bombur knew what it was and that he wasn't feeding us some poisonous root.

Just as I had finished with the chopping Fili and Kili strolled into camp. They came baring gifts. Three rabbits and some kind of bird. The gifts were slapped down in front of me and Bombur. Fili and Kili had big smiles, it was like they were a cat that had brought their family a mouse. I jumped back as the animals landed on the make-shift chopping board.

"Warn a girl before you do that," I muttered, hand over my chest.

"Sorry Leah" said Kili, then he turned to Bombur "How's that, is it enough?"

Bombur inspected the animals. They looked like they all died with one shot and most of the meat would be usable. "Aye lads, these will do nicely" said Bombur.

Kili beamed, obviously very proud of himself. I was impressed too, If it was down to me this company would be going hungry. My archery skills weren't actually that bad, it's just that I'd only ever shot stationary objects. I wonder if Kili would teach me some archery, I'd have to ask at some point.

Bombur slid one of the rabbits over to me "Right, If ye do that one I'll do these un's"

My eyes went wide as I took in the rabbit. It was still vaguely warm and its dead eyes were staring me down. What the fuck am I supposed to do with this? In a slightly panicked state, my head swivelled around, looking to anyone for help.

"Erm Bombur, I've never done...this" I gesture to the rabbit with the knife.

"Oh sorry lass" He said "Here I'll show yer".

He positioned a rabbit so that it was belly side down. "First ye need to take the feet off"

Bombur cleaved off each of the rabbits feet. They didn't seem very lucky to me. At Bombur's expectant look I realised that he wanted me to copy him. Oh God. Don't be scared Leah, you got this. Sorry Mr. Bunny. I took a deep breath and brought the knife down very hard. The foot was now separated from the body. Woo, I have got this. When I finished the rest Bombur carried on.

"Then ye need to cut by its neck like this" he showed me which direction I needed to cut in. Then he inserted the knife under its skin moving it up and down across the rabbit's back.

I tried to copy what he did. It's a lot easier to cut up meat when it doesn't have a face and cute, fluffy ears though. Steeling myself, I managed to do it. Albeit a rather mediocre job. Bombur helped me when I slipped up. Next Bombur grabbed the skin at the neck and just pulled. Surely the skin wasn't supposed to come off that easily. How did the rabbit survive? Anyway, I tried to copy what Bombur did. It was harder than he made it look but I managed to get it off. Fuck yeah.

"Just call me Bear Grylls" I whispered to myself.

"What is a Bear Grill?" asked Bofur, a confused smile on his face.

"Nothing," I shook my head.

I let Bombur gut the rabbits. No way was I going anywhere near that. Skinning a rabbit was enough for me for one day. Leaving Bombur to the rest, I went to go and wash my hands in the brook. Ew, my hands felt gross. The water was cold against my skin as I scrubbed. I also made sure to get everything out from underneath my nails.

By the time I returned, it was time to finally make the stew. Bombur had some skills. He was better with food timings than I would ever be. So when the stew was actually finished everything was perfectly cooked. Bombur let me have the first bowl as a thank you for helping him. I took it readily and had to stop myself from just gorging the whole thing. Patience is a virtue and I'd rather not have a burned mouth from being overzealous with the soup. It was worth the wait though. The soup was delicious. There was a lot of slurping noises and not much conversation as everyone ate around the fire.

"Hey lass"

I looked up from my bowl to see who had spoken. Dwalin was sitting across from me. His bowl was now finished with and put down in front of him.

"Thorin's asked me to train ye so when ye finished go over there" I pointed to flat section of ground across the field. Far enough away so as not to disturb other people but close enough to be seen.

"Okay, thank you" I didn't really know what else to say.

Dwalin merely grunted in reply and made to get up. Walking off the field behind us.

oOo

I finished up my soup and handed the bowl back to Bombur. Getting my sword would probably be a good idea. It was more than likely that Dwalin would want to do some sword fighting. The sword in question was currently in a pile by my bedroll. Kili appeared at my side when I went over to it.

"Would you like some company?" he said "I'm sure Dwalin wouldn't mind"

"Yes please" It would be a lot easier if I wasn't the only one there. The more people than just me to face Dwalins scrutiny the better.

Fili tagged along as we made our way over to Dwalin. The dwarf in question was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed.

"I thought I was training the lass" Dwalin raised an eyebrow.

"We thought we could help" said Fili cheerfully behind me.

"Fine" Dwalin sighed "The more the merrier I guess"

Dwalin had us warm up first. Some jogging and some stretches. The worst was the push ups. My arms weren't designed for push ups, they just collapsed below me. Though I did manage to do more than I usually could. Elf strength got my back. The dwarves laughed at my sorry attempts though. Fili and Kili attempted to do a competition between the two of them of who could do the most. Dwalin interfered before they got to 30.

Then, as I had guessed earlier, Dwalin wanted to train me with a sword. So I went and picked up my sword from where I'd left it, by a tree. When I came back, Dwalin took the sword out of my hands. He inspected the scabbard before removing it and looking at the blade.

"This is a fine blade lass, dwarven made" Dwalin muttered "Where did ye get it from?"

"There were some dwarves in Rildolach that helped me when I arrived here. This was made by a dwarf called Mani" I said.

A mild shock covered the faces of all three dwarves.

"You managed to get a dwarf to forge an elf a sword?" said Fili in disbelief "Blimey"

"Well it's definitely yer sword lass" Dwalin held out the sword towards me, pommel first "It's got yer name carved into it"

What? I peered down to where Dwalin was pointing. The runes along the handle.

"That one there says Leah" then he pointed to another words "The others are protection runes" It was really cool to see my name written in Khuzdul.

I took the sword back off of Dwalin. Then began the lesson. He taught me where to place my feet first. Fortunately, I remembered some of the things Kili had taught me so I wasn't completely useless. Dwalin was a more confident teacher than Kili was. Which was understandable, Kili himself said that he'd never tried to teach someone before. Dwalin had me doing drills with my sword. He'd make sure I'd got my swing down before he'd try me against another sword. Fili and Kili jumped in and sparred along with me. When we were finished, my arms were shaking. I plonked down onto the ground with a groan.

"Not bad fer yer first lesson lass" said Dwalin

He handed me a canteen of water. I could see that there were tattoos on his hands as well. Geometric, dwarven designs and Khuzdul runes. When I finished drinking, I gathered my courage and asked him about them.

"Do your tattoos mean anything?" I asked in a quiet voice. Hopefully, I wasn't overstepping and asking something too personal.

Dwalin looked down at his hands before looking back at me "Aye, I earned them from battles"

"So you have to earn tattoos?"

"Aye"

"That's a lot different than where I'm from." I mused "Anyone can get a tattoo for any reason"

Fili was sat leaning against a tree not too far from where I'd sat. "So do you have any then?" he asked, curious.

"I do..." I said, not sure how much I should reveal.

I saw Kili perk up. He knew exactly why I was being reluctant. Having Erebor on your thigh would probably raise more than a few eyebrows. But that wasn't my only tattoo. I could show them some of my others. Lifting up my left trouser leg, I showed off my ankle. There was a little bow and arrow tattooed there.

"This was my first tattoo. There was a friday the 13th event where a selection of designs were only £13. This one called out to me from all the other designs" I rambled, They wouldn't know what friday 13th was but it didn't matter.

"This one was from a similar event" I lifted the other trouser leg up and showed them a planet and stars on my other ankle.

Then I lifted the trouser leg over my knee to reveal my calf. "This is an Aegishjalmur it's like an old norse symbol for protection"

It looked like the spokes of a wheel with half moons attached to the ends. There was a serpent tattooed around the edge. A deep red in colour. I could see the dwarves marveling at the colours. They probably didn't get different coloured ink here.

Next was my other calf. There was a very detailed tree with branches set on fire. Around the outside, in a circle, were lyrics to a Hozier song. 'I'd wanna be felled by you, held by you, fuel the pyre of your enemies'. It was my most recent tattoo and was therefore the brightest. It was also my most detailed one.

"Wow it's so lifelike" I heard Fili mutter.

I put my trouser legs back down. "And I do have one other one but you'll never see it" I smirked at him.

"Well now I want to know even more" he smirked back.

"Tough"

I thought that would be the end of it but Kili had to open his big mouth.

"She has the Lonely Mountain tattooed on her thigh" he said, very self-assuredly. He took a big sip from his canteen, I could see the mischief in his eyes.

"Kili!" I exclaimed "You little shit"

I could feel my face heat up instantly. This wasn't what I needed right now. Oh god, I don't even know what I'd say if they got offended by it. Dwalin turned to look at Kili, an accusatory look in his eye. He folded his arms and stared directly into Kili's eyes. Kili visibly gulped. I was just glad the attention wasn't on me.

"And why, Laddie, would ye know what her thighs look like?" each word was enunciated to make them impact harder "Is this something I need to be talking to yer Uncle about?"

Kili instantly reddened. His reply came out in panicked stutters. "What? No, no. It's not like that"

Fili was laughing his ass off next to me. Clearly loving every second of this. Dwalin then raised his eyebrows and started to turn, as if making his way back to camp.

"No, no please Dwalin don't tell Thorin,"Kili pleaded.

It was nice to see karma happen so quickly but I needed to put the poor boy out of his misery. "It's nothing bad, Dwalin. Where I'm from it's normal for girls to wear shorts in the summer. People don't really care about girls showing off their legs"

Dwalin appeared a bit surprised by my revelation but seemed to take it as the truth. Now that Dwalin's mind was out of the gutter he told Kili that Thorin wouldn't need to know. Whether he kept that promise was another question. Dwalin walked back to camp and left us to our own devices. Fili just about stopped laughing. He wiped a tear from his eye and patted his brother on the back.

"Next time try not to be a smartass, you idiot" I said lovingly.

oOo

We all went back to camp after that. I had positioned my bedroll next to Fili and Kili's. When I looked out of the corner of my eyes I could see Thorin glancing over disapprovingly. Thorin could probably sense how much I liked Kili. Maybe he wasn't approving of it. The guy needed to chill a bit. It's not like I was gonna do anything in the night. I hadn't even told Kili I liked him yet.

Kneeling down by my bag I attempted to find my toiletries amongst the havoc. I really should have packed this better earlier. My rummaging proved too rigorous as half of the contents of my bag came tumbling out. Also, to make matters worse, my toiletries bag wasn't closed. So now all of that was strewn across the ground too. I groaned and looked skywards. Seriously.

Just as I was about to shove everything back in my bag, I saw a nimble pair of hands rifle through some of the stuff.

"What is this stuff anyway?" said Nori, he had a deodorant stick in one hand and in the other…

"Oh my god Nori put that down" I spoke forcefully. The sneaky dwarf had chosen the worst object to pick up. The Diva Cup that Anika had found for me. It was brand new and unused but that didn't mean I wanted Nori to be holding it.

"Why what does it do?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"It goes in a vagina Nori" I said, very matter-of-factly. Emphasising the word vagina to make him uncomfortable. "Don't worry though it's never been used"

Nori's face immediately paled. He opened his hand and the cup tumbled out. It was actually pretty funny.

"I'm so sorry" and then he was gone. Ran off somewhere into the trees.

I let a few giggles escape my mouth at his antics. The camp had gone silent and when I looked around everyone conveniently had somewhere else to look. Guys needed to chill about periods, it's not like it's a disease.

"For God's sake" I muttered to myself. Then I went to pack everything back up. It was neater this time and everything managed to fit in. Something niggled at the back of my mind when I picked the diva cup back up. It was unused. But it really should have been necessary by now. I don't just think it was because of stress though. Maybe elves were different. Did they have like one period a year or something. The uncertainty of my new body made me nervous. I should probably ask someone about it. But who? It's not like anyone here is an expert in elf anatomy. Well, Gandalf might be able to help.

I dreaded asking him though. It would be like asking your grandad about puberty. However, he was the only person that I thought could help. I packed the remaining items in my bag before standing up. Gandalf was sitting a little further away than everyone else. Happily smoking his pipe. There was an amused look in his eyes when I sat down next to him.

"It would appear that you've managed to make the company rather embarrassed" said Gandalf, looking around at the dwarves

"You'd think it would be harder but I only had to say one word" I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Is there something you need my dear?" he turned back to me.

"Nope" I said chickening out "Just want to sit with my old pal Gandalf"

Gandalf raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying what I was saying.

"Fine, I need to ask you about elf stuff. You seem to know a lot about them" I muttered.

"What would you like to know?" said Gandalf, before taking a big inhale from his pipe.

"Do female elves have…" what word should I use? "er, cycles. Because I haven't had one since I got turned into one"

I could feel my face reddening as I spoke. I knew this shouldn't really be an embarrassing subject but of course it was. Here I was asking an old man advice about periods. Well not even an old man, this guy was like a deity at one point. He was a Maiar, a thing that literally shaped this world. Now he's here teaching me about Elven periods. Oh what a life he's lived.

"I don't imagine you would have done my dear. Elleths, unlike other races, don't have a cycle"

"What, like at all? Are they just like always ready to be pregnant or something?"

"Elves have a will that decides whether a child will form. If they don't want a child or they don't think it's a good time to have one then a child won't form" Said Gandalf.

That's like the ultimate contraception. Like 'I don't want a child so a child won't happen'. If only human biology was that simple. A lot less problems would arise.

"Weeeird" was all I said in reply.

oOo

_He knew he wasn't supposed to be here. This garden had been forbidden to all for over 1500 years. Well it wasn't much of a garden anymore. No life ever grew there. Whatever was planted died almost immediately. However, he still sometimes came here. To think. To cry. Whatever. The place gave him some perspective. On life. On the cruelties of the world. _

_Normally he would simply stand in the middle of it. Surrounded by death and decay. His thoughts would drift, often to unsavoury spaces. But this was one of the only places he allowed himself to do that. The only place he knew he'd be truly alone. The only living thing._

_But tonight he wasn't the only living thing. A single shoot, green and full of life, was there. Right in the middle of the garden. Where he usually stood. Bathing in the early morning sun. Alive. A plant had grown after so long of nothing._

_He nearly fell over when he saw it. Too overcome with a nameless emotion. For a second he couldn't even breath. What did it mean? _

oOo

The next few days played out pretty much the same. We trekked through sprawling landscapes and rested in the evening. I helped out Bombur with his cooking each night as well. He was happy for the help. Also, I had convinced Kili to teach me some archery. He told me that he would show me after my training with Dwalin. The training with Dwalin was getting harder as he pushed me to try new things. I nearly squealed in excitement when I successfully parried for the first time. Cool elven warrior here I come.

After I finished up with Dwalin, I made my way over to Kili. It was just us two by a copse of trees. I could see Kili occasionally making nervous glances back towards camp. When I turned to look I could see Thorin looking over. The guy is a mother hen, I swear. We'd just have to ignore him.

Kili handed me his bow. It was a deep mahogany colour with dwarven designs etched into the wood. There was a decent weight to it and I could tell that it was good quality.

"It was my Adad's" Kili said, as I inspected it. "He taught me to use it when I grew an interest in archery"

The image of an older dwarf teaching young Kili how to shoot a bow warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face.

"Right, you need to hold it like this" Kili guided my hands so that I was holding the bow properly. It was the same way I'd been taught previously from outdoor camp instructors, which was a good thing.

He handed me and arrow and showed me how to nock it. Now this was a lot different than the practice arrows with foam fletching. I also had to tilt the bow to the right slightly so the arrow wouldn't slip down.

"Now draw the string up to your cheek and keep your elbow up" instructed Kili.

I did what he said. My arms strained under the pressure of the bow string. A lot of strength was required to draw back the bow string. Just as I was about to fire, my mind was assaulted by more random visions.

_The arrow had shot out of my bow. Flying artfully through the air. Until it completely missed the target and embedded itself into a tree instead. My bottom lip pushed out into a pout. Why couldn't I get this right?_

"_You know you're supposed to hit the target, right Li?"_

_I turned to the side to see my brother standing next to me. A stupid smug grin on his face. He'd hit the target twice now and I'd managed to miss all of them. It wasn't fair._

"_Oh shut up, Lassie" Lassie was a new word I had learned and I knew it drove my brother mad when I called him it._

_My brothers face scrunched up with annoyance "I'm not a Lassie. I'm an Ellon. Nana tell her"_

_Nana must have appeared when I wasn't looking. She was now standing behind me with her arms crossed and giving me a 'look'_

"_Liriel, what have I told you about annoying your brother?" said Nana._

_I looked down still pouting "Not to" I muttered. "But he started it"_

The shock of the sudden vision made my hand slip and the arrow careened off into the trees. My heart was beating so loud I could hear it in my ears. I turned, wide eyed back to Kili.

"I'm sorry, I don't know…" I trailed off.

Kili could see my distress and reached up to comfort me. His hands were on my shoulders, making me look at him. "Hey it's okay, it's okay"

"What just happened? you seemed fine and then you started panicking" Asked Kili, his eyes brimming with concern.

"I don't know it just keeps happening"

"What keeps happening, Leah?" he implored "Tell me, please"

I took a deep breath to steady my heart. "I keep seeing things. Like memories, but they aren't mine. But it feels like they are it's confusing" I buried my head in my hands.

"What do you mean?" Kili asked, trying to take my hands from my face.

"The other day when I first got the horse I got a weird vision thing. It was a memory of my dad teaching me how to ride a horse. But my dad had never taught me how to ride a horse and for some reason I can now somehow ride a horse" I said the word horse way to much in such a short space of time.

"And then it just happened again. I saw me and my brother shooting arrows. We looked about 5 or something. We were both arguing with each other" I smiled, thinking about it "I know it never happened but at the same time it felt so real. And in all of them my family had pointy ears. They were all elves like me. I feel like I'm going mad"

Kili grabbed my face with both hands. "You are not mad. We'll figure this out don't worry"

oOo

The archery lesson didn't really pan out after that. I was too busy slowly losing my mind. Kili took me back to camp and sat me down near the fire. He told me that I should tell Gandalf at some point. I would, but right now I just wanted to ignore it. Kili sat down next to me and put an arm around my shoulder comfortingly. Dori saw that I was looking a bit down and offered me some chamomile tea. I took the drink graciously, happy it's soothing qualities. It was a little bitter without sugar but it was still nice.

Everyone seemed a bit more lively around the fire that night. Talking animatedly and telling each other stories. At one point Bofur had broken out into a drinking song, even though the hardest liquid we had was water. No one seemed to mind though and sang along with him. He raised his water skin in the air dramatically when he had finished.

"Are there any drinking songs from yer world lass?" asked Bofur.

"Yeah, of course"

"You should sing us one then" said Bofur excitedly.

Other dwarves mumbled in agreement. I felt a bit put on the spot. Which song could I remember the most that also wasn't completely inappropriate?

"Okay I've got one"

_What will we do with a drunken sailor?_

_What will we do with a drunken sailor?_

_What will we do with a drunken sailor?_

_Early in the mornin'?_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Early in the mornin'!_

_Put 'em in the scuppers with a hose pipe on 'im_

_Put 'em in the scuppers with a hose pipe on 'im_

_Put 'em in the scuppers with a hose pipe on 'im_

_Early in the mornin'!_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Early in the mornin'!_

_Put him in the brig until he's sober_

_Put him in the brig until he's sober_

_Put him in the brig until he's sober_

_Early in the mornin'!_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Weigh-hay and up she rises_

_Early in the mornin'!_

It was nerve wracking being the only one singing from the group but everyone seemed to enjoy it. They cheered when I finished it.

"Anyone else got one?" I asked "What about you Bilbo, I'm sure the hobbits have some good songs"

Bilbo looked slightly panicked at everyone's attention "Er no, no. I don't have any songs. I can't think of any"

"Oh come on Bilbo" I went over and sat down next to him. "What about this one?" I nudged him with my arm.

_Oh you can search far and wide,_

_You can drink the whole town dry,_

His eyes lit up as he recognised the song I was singing. After a few beats he shyly started to join in.

_But you'll never find a beer so brown,_

_Oh you'll never find a beer so brown,_

_As the one we drink in our hometown,_

_As the one we drink in our hometown._

_You can drink your fancy ales,_

_You can drink them by the flagon,_

_But the only brew for the brave and true..._

_..Comes from the Green Dragon!"_

Bilbo's confidence increased the more he sang. Once the song finished he immediately carried on into a different song.

_Hey Ho to the bottle I go_

_To heal my heart and drown my woe_

_Rain may fall and wind may blow but there'll still be_

_Many miles to go_

_Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain,_

_And the stream that falls from hill to plain._

_Better than rain or rippling brook,_

_Is a mug of beer inside this Took._

Bilbo held a fist over his heart when he finished his solo. Anxiety seemed to creep in once he had stopped singing and I saw him start fidgeting with his ears and wiggling his nose.

I cheered and clapped when he finished along with many other dwarves. Even Thorin had a smile on his face when he looked at Bilbo.

oOo

The next night we made camp at the top of a rocky outcrop. A forest stretched out below us, shrouded in shadow. Quite ominous indeed. The ponies had to be hitched securely so they didn't wander over the edge in the night. I sat next to Kili by a large rock face. It felt good to lean my back against something. There wasn't any training tonight as there wasn't enough room for us to do anything. So that left me some time to simply chill.

Bilbo wandered over to his pony. Looking very conspicuous and obviously hiding something in his hand. It turned out to be an apple that he must have hoarded. Something niggled at the back of my mind at the gesture. This felt familiar. If I was correct in guessing there would be a…

A sharp, guttural screech split through the otherwise silent night.

…And there it was. The sound sent all my nerve endings on edge. Hairs on the back of neck raised up and my heart rate increased. If I was reacting this way to the mere sound of an orc god knows how I'll react when I actually see one.

Bilbo was also very alarmed and quickly came over to us. "What was that?"

"Orcs" said Kili, a strong urgency in his voice. His eyes darted around trying to find the source of the noise. When his hand drifted towards his bow, I reached out and took it instead. With a small smile I assured him that we were okay. No orc attacks tonight. He visibly relaxed. Shoulders slumping back down.

"Orcs?" asked Bilbo

"They steal into campsites at night, killing as they go" said Fili. He gave Kili an odd look when he realised that his brother wasn't playing along with his joke.

"Do you think an orc attack is something to make light of?" said Thorin, suddenly behind Bilbo. He must have heard us talking to Bilbo.

Fili's eyes widened and he shook his head "No Uncle. Of course not"

Thorin shook his head his jaw was tight. "you need to learn more about the world," he said as he turned to walk away.

Fili shrank beneath Thorin's disappointment.

Balin walked over to us, ready to comfort Fili. "Don't be too down laddie. There are more reasons for your uncle to hate orcs than most. After the mountain was lost King Thror tried to reclaim the kingdom of Moria. But we were too slow and our enemy had gotten to it first. A huge legion of orcs with a vile leader. Azog the defiler"

Kili flinched at the name. God knows what was going through his head. He knew what that orc could accomplish if he wasn't stopped. My hand was still in Kili's so I squeezed. To show that I was there for him.

"A Gundabad Orc dead set on ending the line of Durin. The first thing he did was beheading the King"

Shocked gasps ran through the camp. It was rather odd as you would assume that most of them knew this. Unless the King being beheaded wasn't common knowledge. They may only know that the King fell in battle.

"Thrain, your grandfather, was driven mad by grief. He went missing and no one knew if he was taken prisoner or killed"

I inhaled sharply, eyes widening. Thrain was alive. He was being held prisoner in Dol Guldur by the Necromancer. A.K.A Sauron. His ring of power had been stolen and he was slowly going mad. Could I help? Find a way to get him out? Gandalf nearly helped him in the movie. Perhaps if he was pre warned about Thrain he could get him out. Save him. My mind spun trying to think about it.

Balin was still talking while I was stuck in my thoughts "Thorin stood alone against the pale orc with no armour and only an oaken branch as a shield. Our army rallied and drove all the orcs back. And the enemy was defeated. But no songs were sung that night for our grief was too great. Only us few had survived. I thought to myself, that there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call king"

Balin's big speech was over and all eyes were on Thorin. He held his head up, still looking regal despite all the stares. It hurt to think of all that Thorin had lost.

"What happened to Azog?" asked Bilbo, the only one brave enough to say anything in that moment.

"That filth succumbed to his wounds long ago" said Thorin, turning back away from everyone.

Kili and I shared a knowing look.

oOo

Nearly two weeks had gone by since we left Bilbo's house. I tried to keep my spirits up but I couldn't help the occasional bout of misery. It didn't help the heavens had opened up and had barely stopped for several days. I was cold, I was wet and I was miserable. The cloak Fili and Kili had bought me was being thrown into the deep end. Almost literally, with how much water was falling on us. Fortunately, things in this world were built to last and the cloak was doing its job.

Sleeping in this weather was awful. We couldn't always find a camp with adequate shelter which meant that the rain fell on you all through the night. It also made it almost impossible to get a real fire going. So that left me trying to curl up in my sleeping bag with the front pulled taut. That way only my nose poke out of the front. Kili wouldn't stop laughing everytime he looked over at me. He told me that I looked like a sad worm. Rude.

My dreams were getting worse. If they weren't nightmares, then they were those weird not-memory things. Often they would just be scenes of day to day life. Hanging out with my brother, annoying him constantly. Or my parents teaching me something. Like reading and dancing. It would all be normal if they weren't all elves in the dreams. Weirdly, it would be easier if they were someone else's memories that I was getting for some reason. But I couldn't even say that because all the ones I was getting included my real family members. Nothing made sense.

One time I woke up and I was still half asleep. Kili was sitting next to me. Already awake. I gave him a sleepy smile and said "Man erin, cin post eithel?"

In my mind I was simply saying good morning and asking if he slept well. Kili's eyebrows drew together and a confused smile spread across his face. "What was that?"

"I said good morning and did you sleep well" I rubbed my eyes feeling more awake.

"You most certainly did not" Kili laughed "That was gibberish"

A crease formed between my eyebrows. I was certain that, that was what I'd said.

"It was not gibberish Kili she was asking you in Sindarin" said Gandalf, sitting a few feet away. He was giving me quite a perplexed look.

"What? But I don't know Sindarin" Sindarin was an elf language. Just because I got turned into one shouldn't mean that I could now speak it.

"It would seem some part of your mind does" he said. His quizzical gaze never leaving me.

My cheeks heated up under his stares and I broke eye contact. I still hadn't told him about the visions. There never seemed to be a good time to tell him. He was always surrounded by someone and I didn't want to ask about them with someone else there. I was a coward basically. Not wanting to know that I was actually going crazy or not.

So that led me to be miserably plodding along on my horse. Kili tried to cheer me up as much as possible but he could only do so much. The other members of the company also seemed to be at their wits end with the elements. Poor Bilbo didn't even have a hood. You'd think he would have brought a better coat considering he'd packed the night before. Though it seemed that Bilbo hadn't known what were the best items to take with him on an adventure.

"Gandalf is there anything you can do about this infernal weather?" asked a very sodden Dori.

"The rain will continue until it is done Master dwarf. If you want someone who can control the weather of this world you must consult another wizard" said Gandalf, clearly annoyed by the question.

"Are there other wizards?" Bilbo asked, his interest piqued.

Gandalf turned to gaze at Bilbo before answering "Yes, there are. Five of us in total. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White"

My nose crinkled and my lips turned downwards at the mention of Saruman's name. He might not be an arsehole yet but give it 60 years and he'll be a grade A prick.

"Then there are the two Blue Wizards," Gandalf continued "Though I cannot recall their names"

Seriously, there were only five of them how could you forget their names. "Alatar and Pallando" I added, helpfully. "They help with problems in the East"

Gandalf's eyes lit up with the information. "Oh yes, yes. You're quite right my dear. That is their names, I remember now. Good to hear that they are still being helpful" he smiled "Yes and the final Wizard is Radagast the Brown"

"Is he a good wizard?" asked Bilbo. He blinked rapidly as a drop of water splashed into his eye.

"I believe he is a great one. Though he prefers the company of animals to other races. He protects a great forest to the east. A good thing too as Evil is always trying to find a foothold in this world"

Thankfully, the rain finally eased off as it got closer to evening. Finally being vaguely dry, after being soaked for so long, felt nice. We followed a small path until we came to an open field. Everyone began hopping off their ponies, ready to make camp for the night. However, instead of following suit, my hands tightened on the reigns. The ruins of a small farm house were situated at the end of the field. I knew what that meant.

Fucking Trolls.

_Drunken Sailor- Sean Dagher_

_The other two are hobbit drinking songs from Tolkien._

_The next chapter is going to be action packed :)_


	18. From this mortal shell

_You should listen to the song Doomed by Moses Sumney when it gets to the part where the orcs are chasing them and Gandalf tells them to jump down the hole if you want to get real spicy with it_

Why did we have to deal with the trolls so soon? I'd want to avoid it altogether but I knew that we couldn't do that. Without the trolls they wouldn't know about the troll hoard. And without the troll hoard they would never find Glamdring, Sting or Orcrist. I dreaded to think what would happen if they weren't found. Not just for this journey but future ones as well. Thorin would still need to be warned. He would not be happy if he found out that I had held this back from him. If I wanted to save him he would need to trust me.

It took Kili shaking my leg to realise that I was the only one still on my horse. Everyone else was setting up camp while I had been lost in my thoughts. Crap, I needed to tell Thorin before everyone settled down for the night. Hastily, I climbed down from my horse. Nearly getting my foot caught in the stirrup in my hurry. I heard Kili trying to say something to me but I was too busy jogging forward to hear it.

Thorin and Gandalf had been talking in the ruins of the farm house when I climbed off the horse. However, once I worked my way around the camp, there was only Thorin standing alone. His teeth gritted in a grimace.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit" I muttered as I jogged over to Thorin. Searching the horizon for the errant wizard. He was nowhere to be found. There goes Gandalf's help.

Thorin looked at me with a hard stare, arms folded across his chest. "What seems to be the problem, Leah?"

"Where's Gandalf?" I asked, already knowing the answer. My voice was a little high pitched.

Thorin scoffed "Oh he's wandered into the woods somewhere" he pointed towards the trees "Pay him no heed" Thorin waved his hand dismissively.

"We need him." I said, bringing up my hands to my face.

Thorin uncrossed his arms. His demeanor changing from unbothered to wary. "Why would we need him? What do you know?"

I took a deep breath, debating how I would word this. "Our ponies are going to get stolen and we're going to be attacked by trolls"

"What?! Are you certain of this"

I nodded "This is how it happened in the story. With the burned out house and Gandalf storming off"

Thorin let out a string of Khuzdul curses.

"That damnable wizard spoke truth" Thorin spat "We should not make camp here"

Thorin turned as if to make his way back to camp. Quickly, I put my hands out to stop. "No, no we can't leave"

Thorin's eyebrows drew together "You have just told me that Trolls are going to attack our company in the night and yet you want us to remain?" Thorin's tone was harsh. "You would put the company in danger?"

"No Thorin it's not like that" I said hurriedly "Let me explain"

Thorin crossed his arms once more and looked at me expectantly. His demeanor was intimidating even though he was shorter than me. His glare was making my mouth go dry.

"There are things in the troll's hoard that we desperately need if you want this quest to be successful," I said.

Thorin's hard gaze didn't let up "Things? What manner of things would be worth risking ourselves against these creatures"

"Weapons" I said very quickly "For you, Gandalf and Bilbo. They are some of the best weapons ever forged and will save your life many times over. We have to get them"

If Thorin didn't have Orcrist then he couldn't slay Azog. If Bilbo didn't have Sting then he couldn't save them from the spiders or warn them about the goblins. Then it would never be passed down to Frodo to help him destroy the ring. We needed those weapons. I looked right into Thorin's eyes. Imploring him to listen.

Thorin gazed at me for another beat before sighing "If what you speak is true then how do you suggest we obtain these weapons, without harming any members of this company?"

Now that put me on the spot. I hadn't really had much chance to think it through yet. A smarter person would have come up with a plan days ago. As soon as they knew they were drawing near. But I wasn't smart and I'd been too busy freaking out about myself to think ahead. Stupid Leah. Bringing both hands up, I rubbed my temples. Maybe that would stimulate my brain and provide me with an answer.

"Right, so, trolls can only come out at night because the sun turns them to stone. That means that they won't leave their cave until it's fully night fall." I pondered, an idea springing forward "Maybe if someone slipped in while they were out they could find the weapons and leave before the trolls even noticed. That way we could hopefully avoid them altogether"

Thorin's lips pursed as he considered the plan "While that sounds good we don't actually know where this hoard is"

"We'll have to look for it I guess" I shrugged

Thorin nodded, still looking deep in thought. "How did this altercation play out in your stories?"

"The ponies were tied up in the forest" I pointed in the general direction of the forest "The trolls stole some and you tried to get them back. But the trolls managed to grab one of you and threatened to kill them if you didn't drop your weapons. Then they spent too long arguing how to cook you that they don't realise that the sun has come up and they turn to stone"

"That is something I would rather avoid" his lip curled in disgust.

One second he was leaning against the wall looking out at the company and the next he was standing up straight, arms tense, ready for a fight "A small group will come with me to scope out this cave." he said "The rest will remain here, and keep a lookout. The ponies will need to be taken out of the forest if we want to protect them."

My shoulders sagged in relief. Thank god he believed me and we were doing something about it. There was no way I was willingly getting shoved into a sack today.

"I'm risking my company for this Leah. You had better be right" there was a dark tone to his voice and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

There was a reason he was the leader. He was someone you did not want to wrong or disappoint. I did not want to disappoint him. Let's be real, I was desperate for him to like me. He was _Thorin Oakenshield, _managing to get him to like me would be a great achievement. The dwarf King didn't trust easily. Hopefully, avoiding unnecessary fights with trolls would put me in his good graces.

Thorin strolled out of the ruins with purpose. His first port of call was the hobbit standing a few metres away. He walked straight up to Bilbo and clasped a hand around his shoulder. The large hand nearly covered the whole shoulder. Bilbo looked up, very shocked by the sudden contact. Eyes staring into Thorin's, questioningly. A red hue spreading across his cheeks.

"Come Master Baggin's it seems your burglary skills need to be put to the test" said Thorin.

I saw Bilbo visibly gulp.

oOo

The small scouting party ended up consisting of Thorin, Bilbo and Dwalin. The other dwarves protested at being left out but Thorin told them that this mission required stealth so the less who went the better. He placated them by telling them that they too had an important job to do. Everyone who stayed must remain watchful and protect the ponies. If they found the trolls they were not to engage unless absolutely necessary.

The horses were brought out of the forest and hitched up a little way away from the trees. That way we would be able to tell if a random huge troll hand nabbed one. Everyone was on edge. Hands inching towards their weapons at the slightest provocation, the slightest sound. Some didn't really believe me about the presence of trolls but they trusted their leader. The troll hoard gang had to wait until night had fallen before they could scope out. They didn't want to go to early and risk running into the trolls as they were leaving their cave. Instead they would give them plenty of time to vacate the premises before breaking in.

That meant that they could at least have some food before they set off. Dwalin happily scoffed down two bowls of soup and some dried meat. The idea of a battle not fazing him. At least not visibly anyway. He was a seasoned warrior after all. Thorin slowly got through his bowl. Each bite was careful and his gaze was constantly aware of his surroundings. Bilbo, the poor guy, hadn't eaten a thing. The concept of burgling from trolls didn't seem to sit well with the hobbit. Well he wasn't sitting well in general. He wouldn't stop fidgeting or changing his seating position. Never being able to sit still for too long. Too pent up with nervous energy. They left soon after they finished eating.

Kili refused to leave my side as soon as he found out about the trolls. I could tell he was torn between wanting to follow his uncle and making sure I was safe. Seeing as he couldn't do the former, he took to sticking to my side like glue.

"You should have told me that there would be trolls" Kili grabbed my shoulder, looking a little hurt.

"I'm sorry" I mumbled, looking at the ground "My mind's been all over the place recently and it slipped my mind until Gandalf stormed off"

Kili's eyes softened at my words "It's okay. Just please warn me next time something dangerous is going to happen"

"If I did that I'd never stop talking" I said with a small smile.

"That isn't very comforting at all" Kili let out a small laugh all the same.

His grip on my shoulder was a comforting weight. I was full of nervous energy just thinking about the troll situation. It made me not want to stay still for very long. So I took to pacing around the camp. Just looking for things to do to take my mind off of it. Kili could see the struggle my mind was in and offered himself up as a distraction for me. He said that sparring might help me to keep my thoughts from drifting. We ended up moving towards the edge of camp so that we weren't in anyone's way. Close to the ponies. The rest of the camp could still see us though. It wouldn't do well for us to suddenly disappear from view right now. Not when everyone was on such high alert.

"We probably shouldn't spar with our swords right now" said Kili once we reached the edge of camp "It wouldn't do well for us to get injured if we're needed to fight a troll"

"That's fair enough"

Dwalin had been teaching us some hand-to-hand combat as well. I wasn't the best at it but I was learning. It didn't help that the people I was sparring against had like 60+ more years of practice than I did. Still, I tried my best and I was beginning to hold my own. Even if I ended up on the floor more times than not.

Kili told me that I didn't need to go soft on him. Even though I knew for a fact that he was going easy on me. It probably wouldn't take much effort for him to flatten me if he put his mind to it. We started off with some gentle sparring. Occasionally Kili would stop me to correct a move that I'd tried. That happened more than I liked. I was trying but it was hard to remember where your elbows or knees were supposed to go while you were mid-fight.

I landed a few hits and I started to gain in confidence. Kili was smiling at me, enjoying me fighting with him. Then I noticed that his left side was exposed. Being overconfident I decided to go for it and attempt to land a kick. My right leg swung out towards Kili's left side. Kili stepped away from the direction of my kick and I felt his arm loop around my leg. He held it close, refusing to let go. Even when I tried to pull it free. It left me hopping on my only remaining leg. The biggest smirk was stretched across Kili's face. Clearly he was finding this amusing.

"What did Dwalin say about kicks?" he asked, the mirth clear in his voice.

"I don't know" I said still hopping "Give me my leg back"

Instead of giving my leg back he simply smiled wider. Showing his teeth. Then, with my leg still in his hand, he pushed forward. The momentum finally knocked me off balance and I ended up sprawled on my back. I'm embarrassed to say a very high pitched squeak escaped my body.

"Dwalin told you that you need to bring your leg back faster after you kick. Or you will be left exposed and someone could grab your leg. Like this" He wiggled my leg. A self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Oh yes I remember now," I said in a flat voice "Can I have my leg back now?"

"Not yet, I quite like you where you are" he leaned closer, I could feel his body against my leg.

A deep blush formed across my face. "What if I kick you with the other one?" I asked while lifting my other leg up. I couldn't exactly get much momentum from where I was so it was a very sorry excuse for a kick. He easily caught the leg in his other arm and I let out a groan of frustration.

"You're not very good at this are you" Kili raised an eyebrow.

"I'm throwing you off your rhythm" I said, still trying to get my legs back. The John Mulany quote obviously blew over his head.

"Ah yes, you have shaken me to my core" sarcasm leaked from his voice.

I was feeling very exposed in this current position. Having Kili, literally, standing between my legs wasn't helping. My thoughts felt like they were running at a hundred miles per hour.

"Shut up" was all I said, a little breathless.

"Did I ever tell you how good you looked in my clothes?" said Kili, his gaze heated.

I felt my breath catch under his gaze, my heart was racing in my chest. Looking down, I could see the blue of my shirt. It had been washed in a river a few days ago and I was wearing it again "No you were too busy blushing I think" I said trying not to let my voice betray me.

Kili's smirk dropped slightly, then he shook his head "I don't know what you mean. I've never blushed in my life" he finally relinquished my legs.

Finally able to move properly, I sat up. Laughing at Kili's expression. "So the bright red cheeks were something completely different I'm sure"

"Of course. It was just very warm in the pub."

"I see" I said still smiling "You looked good in my clothes, it's only fair that I looked good in yours"

Kili's brow furrowed "When did I…" his mouth formed an 'O' shape "Oh yeah, when I first arrived in your world. I forgot about that"

I was still on the floor when I heard footsteps approaching us. Turning to look, I saw that it was Fili.

"Do I even want to know what all that was?" he said, gesturing with his hand.

"We were sparring" I said, dragging myself up off the floor

"Is that what you're calling it?" he smirked "It looked more like _fraternizing_ to me"

Fraternizing? What an odd word choice. The way he said it also seemed to be very deliberate. There was probably an inside joke I was missing. Kili didn't seem to miss it though. A slight red glow now adorned his cheeks.

"I don't know what you mean brother" said Kili, very dismissively.

Fili merely clapped him on the back and laughed. "Anyway. Balin has told me" he pointed to himself "to tell you" he pointed to us "that we" his hand pointed to both us and him "should check the ponies"

"Probably would have got that even without all the hand gestures my dude" I said.

Considering we had been sparring right next to the ponies we would have known if there was anything wrong with them. There had been no random whinnies or stomping of hooves as of yet. Nevertheless, we still spun around and made our way over. They were all attached to logs or trees that weren't too close to the rest of the forest. Mithiel gave a little hair flick as I made my way over. I gave her a little pat on the nose. If all went well I wouldn't lose her. She was a good horse. Next to Mithiel, Dwalin's horse, Fallulah, seemed a little agitated so I tried to calm her down. As I was stroking her head I heard a rather panicked voice from behind me.

"Er how many ponies are we supposed to have?" said Kili.

Alarmed I spun around towards him. "16 plus Gandalf's horse, why?"

"There's only 15" said Kili, a hand rubbing his chin.

"What? How?"

I went back a few steps so that I could see all the ponies. Counting them yielded the same number Kili had said.

"Shit, where has it gone?" I exclaimed.

We had been here the whole time, how could one have gone missing? There hadn't been any odd sounds. No big pounding footsteps or a large grubby hand stealing one of the ponies. Oh God Thorin is gonna kill us. We all looked around for any clues as to where the other horse could be. That's when we came across a broken branch. You could tell that the wood was freshly splintered. It seemed that someone had chosen the wrong branch to hitch the pony to and now the little shit had done a runner. Why would a pony feel the need to just wander off? We were the ones feeding you, you ungrateful little fur ball with teeth. Well at least my legs weren't just overly large fingers you weirdly evolved creature. I was shaken out of my internal rant about the evolutionary quirks of horses by Fili.

"We need to look for it"

"But...Trolls!" I whispered forcefully.

"Exactly, if they find it they might go looking for more. We need to find it before they do."

Why was he making sense? I groaned out loud. "Fine, you make a good point… Doesn't mean I like it though"

Kili grabbed my shoulder before I could move anywhere. "You should stay here"

"I'm not staying here while you potentially get taken by trolls" I said, removing his hand from my shoulder. "Even if you go without me, I will just follow you"

Kili looked at me, weighing the truth of my words "Fine" he surrendered "But only if you promise to stay hidden and not try to fight the damn things"

"Do I look like someone who would start a fight with a 10ft tall monster? I have some self-preservation skills you know"

oOo

My confidence waned as soon as I entered the forest. Following after a horse into troll infested forest seemed like an okay idea when you were in a nice meadow with lovely moonlight to see with. Now that I was under the forest canopy everything suddenly seemed 10x scarier. I would hear scuttling or think I saw a shadow move and my heart would jump in my chest. Thankfully, I had my kinetic powered torch with me so that we could see where we were going. I tried to make sure that the light wasn't too bright that it would alert anyone to our location.

Fili was very impressed with my ability to conjure light.

"Is that magic?" he asked in wonder "Like from Gandalf's staff"

I had to disappoint him. "I'm not that cool I'm afraid. It's a kinetic torch from my world. You wind it up and it emits a light. No magical light conjuring here"

"It's still fantastic" he muttered.

Fili and Kili were using some tracking skills that I did not possess to track down the infernal creature. They would spot things that I would have simply dismissed. Why do you assume that a hoof broke that twig? Perhaps it was from a particularly fat badger having a lie down. Anything is possible.

It was when we were quite a bit into the forest when I came to the realisation that we hadn't actually told anyone where we were. Apparently we were all sharing the same brain cell. We really should think things through more. Following the tracks brought us deeper into the forest. Just when we thought we were getting close we came across the sight we did not want to see. Several trees had been torn apart as if by a bulldozer. The tracks for the horse ended just where the destruction began. Great, we got there too late and now the trolls have it. I quickly shut off the torch, hoping that we weren't seen.

All of us agreed to follow the destruction. We tried to be as quiet as possible so as not to alert anything to our presence. An orangey light shone through the trees and I knew we'd found some kind of camp fire. Moving closer, we hid behind a felled tree. The trolls were even worse than I imagined. You couldn't really comprehend their size from your imagination alone. They were _Huge _with mottled leathery skin. Boils, warts and pustules lined their body like a sad constellation. Their bodies all seemed malformed and misshapen as if they were created by a child out of playdough. The smell was the worst part. It took everything in me not to gag.

One of the trolls was carrying the poor horse over its shoulder. It threw it down with no caution into a makeshift pen. Thankfully the horse could still stand. A troll in the middle was stirring some noxious concoction in a cauldron.

"Is tha' all ya can find, we're starvin over 'ere" said the one on the far left of the fire. It's voice was very nasally.

"Am sure there's more owt there somewhere" said the one by the cauldron. A deep baritone voice that would shake the ground if it yelled.

The one who carried the pony in clipped the middle troll around the head "Shut ya hole, this is all a got so stop complainin'"

We needed to figure out a way to get the pony back. However, I know how well that went last time for Bilbo. This time we do have our own swords though. We wouldn't have to try and steal the trolls knife.

"We need to go around the back" whispered Fili "Maybe we can cut it loose"

We all nodded and made to inch around. I'm not sure who did it but as we went to move a loud ***Crack*** rang through the air. A branch must have broken under foot. Startled we all fell into a crouch and tried to stay hidden. The noise had also startled the trolls. From what I could see, one of the trolls had been drinking something. The noise had made him step backwards and fall over a pot of something. Spilling the contents everywhere.

"Tom ya big loaf tha's all our grog" the middle troll grabbed the troll with the nasally voice around the ear.

Thankfully they seemed too preoccupied with the lost grog than to whatever made the sound in the first place.

"a didn't mean it Bert" said Tom, trying to pull Bert's hand away

"Go back to tha cave an' ge' some more" he kicked Tom and pushed him towards the trees. "Am not spendin' all night wiv no grog" Tom grumbled but started to slink off all the same.

Shit!

If the others had found the cave they were about to be discovered. We needed to find them fast and warn them.

oOo

**Thorin**

Nothing could never be simple. An otherwise decent journey had to be spoiled in some way. Everything must have been going too well so the world had to start throwing things back at them. To hinder them and slow them down. Trolls, it seemed, would be the main event today. Thorin didn't want to believe Leah about them. However, most of the future information that she had shared thus far had been truthful. She knew about the hobbit and the shire before he'd even told her where they were going. So he had no choice but to believe her. If he chose not to listen and then something bad came to pass, it would be on his head. That did not mean that he appreciated wandering into a forest to steal from a troll's hoard.

Leah was...an odd one. That probably wasn't the best way to describe her but it fit all the same. She had spent her life in a completely different world to this one. That meant that even the simplest things from this world could bring her up short or make her face light up with wonder. He recalled when they were first journeying together and she was fascinated by a wooden bowl of all things. She told him that it was 'rustic' and that she'd 'always wanted a wooden cutlery set'. How she had gone so far in life without seeing one, he wasn't sure.

She was also a shapeshifter it seemed. As, where once there was a woman, there now stood an elf. If he had not seen the pictures Kili had shown him he never would have believed that she was once not an elf. He did not envy her. What a terrible fate to be turned into one of those smug, uptight creatures. Perhaps they could find her some help to change her back. The wizard didn't seem to be able to do anything but there were probably others who could.

On top of all of this, she was also his nephew's One. How that could happen, he had no idea. Why would Mahal place Kili's One in a different world? There must be something bigger at play here. Thorin was fiercely protective of Fili and Kili. They may only be his nephews but Thorin saw them more as his sons. He had watched them grow and taught them how to fight. Happiness filled him when he used to think about them one day finding a partner. A One. Thorin did not expect for it to happen so soon or for it to be Kili who found one first. But he had and now Thorin was going to be fiercely protective of her too. She was good for him. After watching Kili spiral downwards over the past 6 months it was good to see him smiling again.

Now he just needed to make sure that they weren't all crushed by trolls. He had chosen the halfling and Dwalin to accompany him. Dwalin was his strongest fighter and Mister Baggins would be needed to sneak in and find the weapons. They had gone into the forest shortly after the sun had set. He did not wish to find the cave before the creatures had vacated it.

Part way into the forest they came across the pounding of large footsteps. Quickly, they ducked behind trees and tried to remain out of sight. From this vantage point he could see two trolls meandering through the trees. One was dragging a large pot behind behind it. They passed surprisingly quickly considering their size. Thorin let himself relax slightly as they disappeared from view. Stepping out from behind the tree they went to inspect the path the trolls had made. Surely this would lead them to their dwelling.

It was as they were outside the cover of the trees that Thorin recalled what Leah had told him. There were three trolls not two. The sound of crashing footsteps coming towards them echoed his mistake. Dwalin was already close to a hiding place but him and Bilbo were not. Without thinking Thorin quickly grabbed Bilbo and hauled him behind a tree. One of Thorin's hands was covering the hobbits mouth and the other was holding him close to his chest. He could feel Bilbo fidgeting under his hands but he held strong until the troll had completely disappeared. A muffled voice started speaking below his hand. Thorin finally relinquished his grip on the hobbit.

"That was completely unnecessary" Bilbo sputtered "You do realise that I am completely capable of being silent on my own. Probably better than you can be"

A redness had spread across Bilbo's cheeks. His behaviour made Thorin want to smile. We're all hobbits this dramatic. He simply rolled his eyes instead, wringing a short chuckle from Dwalin. They followed the trail of destruction as best they could. Always keeping an ear out for any indication of their return. The path seemed to be well travelled by these beasts. They must have been here for quite some time.

It was the smell that first alerted them that they were close. Cloying, acrid scent that threatened to consume you. Trying to breathe as little as possible, they followed their nose. It was a rather nondescript cave from the outside. A hole set into a flat, rock wall. The only reason they knew they'd found the right place was because of the destruction and the smell.

"Is that the cave then?" asked Bilbo, his voice wavering slightly.

"Seems to be" said Dwalin. Who then gave Bilbo a little shove forward. "Off ye go then"

Bilbo dug his heels into the ground, trying to prevent Dwalin from pushing him any further. "Wait, wait, wait" He muttered "What am I even supposed to be looking for?"

Dwalin pursed his lips "The girl said weapons" he said shrugging, not overly helpful.

"Swords, Master Baggins. Leah says that there are fine swords in this cave. Ignore everything that looks rusted or damaged." said Thorin, his arms crossed tightly across his chest.

"Right, swords..er" Bilbo scrunched up his nose. Then he spun back to face the entrance of the cave "I'll just… be off then"

Then he scampered off, with a very staggered pace, right towards the cave. Thorin and Dwalin set up watch on either side of the cave mouth. Ever vigilant. Scanning the trees ahead of them. He could hear clattering behind him followed by Bilbo's mutterings. A loud crash from inside the cave had Thorin turning towards it.

"What was that?" Thorin demanded.

He could he a pained groan from inside the cavern. Just as he was about to follow the noise inside he heard Bilbo's voice. "I'm fine, just some blasted plate armour landed on my foot"

Thorin sighed deeply "Have you found anything yet Master Baggins?" If the hobbit didn't find anything soon he was going to regret bringing him along on this journey.

"I found a couple of things but it's so dark it's hard to tell whether they are the right ones"

Damn, they should have brought a torch with them. That lack of foresight was on him. "Just hurry out and we'll see what you've found"

The sound of Bilbo's steps got closer.

"Thorin!" Dwalins worried voice drew his gaze away from the cave.

Thorin's eyes darted about until he saw what had gotten Dwalin so spooked. "Troll!"

They tried to dart out of sight but it was too late. The troll had already seen them. It let out a great roar and called to it's companions.

oOo

**Leah**

We needed to follow the troll. However, we also needed to warn the others. Fili volunteered to go and rally the others. I would have gone but I knew that I wouldn't have been able to find my way back through the forest alone. That left Kili and I to tail the thing. Realistically we needed to get in front of it so that we could give the other adequate time to flee. However, that was easier said than done. Whereas the troll got to follow its own beaten path, we had to climb over roos and bushes. While also avoiding being seen.

We managed to get in front of it and was making good headway. The smell of the cave hit me first and I nearly gagged. I could see the cave through the trees. Along with Dwalin and Thorin. Just as I was about to call out, Dwalin beat me to it. He must have caught sight of the troll before we could warn them. Unfortunately, that meant that the troll now knew they were there.

Tom roared and yelled for the other to join him and stop the thieves. Thorin drew his sword and Dwalin drew his axes. The troll swung for them with its overly large fists. Expertly, they managed to roll out of the way. Kili wasted no time and drew his own sword. My sword was still sheathed at my side. How could a sword pierce through a hide that thick? I didn't want Kili to join in the fight but he'd already charged in before I could stop him.

"Kili, what are you doing here?!" yelled Thorin.

"Warning you!" Kili yelled back, just about avoiding the trolls hand. He swung his sword around, trying to hack at the troll's legs. The sword merely bounced off, not even leaving a dent.

I was still in the trees. Frozen. Adrenaline was burning through my veins. The sound of the others were fast approaching. I needed to help them. Distract the trolls in some way that wouldn't get me killed. Wracking my brain I tried to think.

The torch!

It could get pretty bright. Maybe bright enough for them to think it was sunlight. Quickly I flipped open the tab and started to wind the torch up. As fast as I could to give it enough energy to glow. Just as I was winding the torch up the other trolls had arrived. Followed shortly by a gang of angry dwarves wielding weapons. When it seemed like it was bright enough I swung the beam around and directed it towards the troll. The bright, white beam was more powerful than firelight. All the trolls cowered away from the light, covering their eyes.

"Am blind"

"It's tha sun"

The dwarves took this advantage and started their assault. I stepped out from the trees so that I could train the light beam better. Swapping between each of the trolls faces. They started hitting out and swinging their arms around them. A few dwarves didn't get out of the way in time and were flung backwards. It seemed like we were getting the upper hand.

That was until one of the trolls realised that my torch wasn't actually harming them. With anger in its eyes he charged towards me. A guttural roar leaving its mouth. I didn't even get the chance to dodge before a hand reached out and grabbed me around the middle. A scream ripped from my throat as I was hauled into the air. The torch flew from my hand and into the trees. My sword was useless, still in its scabbard, currently under the trolls hand. It's skin was rough like stone. The grip was crushing and I could barely breathe. My ribs screamed in pain.

"Drop ya arms or we'll crush this un" yelled the troll holding me.

I heard the clang of dropped weapons all around me. Panic had gripped me nearly as tightly as the trolls fist. My arms were still free and I was desperately trying to push the hand open. It was no use, like trying to push a statue.

"Wot ya got there Bert?"

"Its an Elf!"

"I've never 'ad elf before. A bet they're tender" a troll reached out with a grubby finger and tried to poke me in the stomach.

"Leave her alone!" I heard Kili shout from below me.

The troll holding me swung me away. Trees blurred with the motion. "Ge' roff this ones mine."

"No I wan' some"

"No me"

The trolls were clambering over each other trying to get to me.

"NO THE ELF IS MINE!" came a loud voice from behind us.

The trolls backed off and searched around for the noise. Their faces uncertain. My torch had been flung into the forest and it now cast its light onto the cave wall. Some of the light was blocked by a huge hulking shadow. It writhed and moved, like a strange shadow creature.

"Who's tha" said one of the trolls, its voice wobbled slightly "Show ya self"

"I'M A HOBBIT" the voice bellowed "AND THAT ELF IS MY MEAL"

That was Bilbo's voice. Who knew that he could sound so menacing? Or make such great shadow puppets. The grip around my middle loosened as feared gripped the troll. It allowed me to breathe more easily. I tried to wiggle free but I still couldn't maneuver myself away.

"BEGONE OR FACE MY WRATH" The shadow creature extended what appeared to be arms.

The trolls were visibly shaking. It was working! That was until the torch started flickering out. Shit, it was running out of energy. It needed to be spun. Unfortunately, Bilbo did not know that and the torch flickered off. Leaving us all in darkness and making the new 'Monster' disappear from the cave wall.

"There's no one owt ther'. Ya takin' us all for fools" yelled Bert.

His grip increased exponentially and I thought my ribs would break. A pained sob fell from my mouth. If I didn't get out I was going to be crushed or eaten. I struggled against the hand, my panic reaching a fever pitch. Let Go! Let Go! Let Go!

"LET ME GO!" I slapped my hands down onto the trolls skin.

A feeling like electricity flowed across my skin. Vibrating beneath my hands. As soon as I slapped my hands down a white, blinding light blasted out of them. The skin beneath my touch immediately started to calcify. Hardening below me. The troll dropped me unceremoniously onto the ground. His whole hand was now stuck in one position. what was flesh was now stone. Including the trolls face. It's expression was now frozen into one of horror. It swayed perilously from side to side before falling forwards. Crashing face first into the ground.

The world swayed in my vision and I found it difficult to breathe. My limbs felt weak and shaky below me as I struggled into a sitting position. An immense tiredness fell upon me. I could feel my head lolling to the side it was difficult to try and keep my head up. What the hell just happened?

"Bert? Bert!" he shook the downed troll. It's expression still frozen in place

"He's dead"

"She killed him"

The ground rumbled with the trampling of feet. They fell over one another trying to back away.

"The dawn will take you all" A loud crack broke through the night and several trees were felled. Sunlight shone into the clearing. It was weak but it was enough. The remaining trolls tried to get into the safety of their cave but it was too late. They froze and solidified into terrified statues.

My head was swimming. I reached a hand up to my forehead and sat forward. Someone was suddenly by my side. Cradling my head into their chest.

"Leah, Leah. Oh Mahal are you okay?" Kili babbled.

After a few deep breaths I could sense my tiredness fading. My strength returning to me. "I think so" I nodded into his chest. Leaning back, I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands. The hands that had glowed and turned a troll to stone. How had I done that? Thinking back I also recalled the time when the men tried to grab me. There had been hand prints burned into his arms. Did I do that too?

Around me the dwarves were throwing me uneasy glances. Cautious and some even a little fearful. Gandalf walked over to me and kneeled down. Leaning heavily on his staff. He reached out with his other hand and clasped my shoulder.

"My dear, what did you do?"

"I, I don't know. I was panicking and trying to get away." I looked down at my hands with horror and wonder "Did I kill a troll?"

"You did indeed and that was no small feat. That was quite a powerful blast of magic" he pondered. His gaze was piercing and assessing. As if a new puzzle piece had fallen into place.

"Magic! how can I have magic? I'm not even from here" My breathing was increasing in a rapid fashion.

"I am not certain" he said "Tell me, my dear, has there been any other strange happenstances since you arrived here"

Ah. This was probably the time to come clean about my strange visions. I just wish I was surrounded by wary dwarves. "I've been having weird...visions. Like memories but they aren't mine"

"You are certain they are not sure own" Gandalf raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Well yes...and no. They include my family but they're all elves and involve things I know I've never done. I had one where my dad was showing me how to ride a horse and then I could suddenly do it. But I know that my dad never taught me that."

Gandalf peered at me appraisingly. "You are becoming quite the mystery Miss Leah Orrison"

Then he stood up and went to talk with some others. Kili was still holding me close to him. I hissed a breath when he accidentally brushed against my bruised ribs. He dropped his hand quickly.

"I'm sorry, are you injured?" I nodded at his question. "Oin, we need your help"

He had to yell a few times before the dwarf made his way over. His hearing wasn't the greatest.

Voices were still talking behind me as Oin arrived. "That was quite the performance Bilbo Baggins. I didn't know you had it in you" Gandalf mused.

"Quite the performance indeed" echoed Thorin.

"Oh, well when I saw the light from the torch it reminded me of the shadow monsters I used to make to tell fauntlings scary stories… That's where I got the voice from as well" said Bilbo.

Oin had gathered his medical bag and made his way over to us. "we'll need to lift yer shirt if I'm to get a look at yer ribs lass"

That made sense. He didn't exactly have x-ray vision. But I also knew that these dwarves would probably freak out if I started stripping.

"Should we go over there or something" I pointed over to one of the felled trees.

"Good idea lass we'll find ye some privacy" said Oin.

Kili helped me to my feet. Thankfully, they remained strong below me. The brief wave of fatigue after the magic blast seemed to be leaching away. Fili had also joined us. Sticking to his brother's side. We made our way over to the tree and I plonked myself down. Kili sat down behind me, obviously afraid that I'd fall backwards. Fili had decided that he would act as a human shield and block others from my view. Well dwarven shield I guess. He turned his back to us so that he wouldn't see anything.

Oin muttered something to Kili in khuzdul. I think I heard the name Thorin mixed in there somewhere. When I peered back I saw that Kili was deliberately looking away. Oin then asked me to lift my shirt. I had a sports bra on underneath so I wasn't really that bothered about what the dwarf saw. Light bruises were forming along my torso. It was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Oin echoes my observations, his hands ghosting over my ribs.

"These don't look too bad lass. Nothing's broken. Though I'm not well-versed in elven anatomy I guess that they'll heal in a few days or so" then he motioned for me to lower my shirt. He reached into the bag behind him and drew out a weird root of some sort.

"Here, chew on this" He handed me the root "It'll help with the pain"

I gave it a sniff. It was very earthy with an oddly bitter scent. Tentatively, I bit down. It was rather nasty and it made my face screw up as I chewed. Eugh. Fili and Kili were allowed to look back now. They laughed at my disgusted expression. Fili crossed his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrows at me.

"You lied to me"

"What? When?" I said, confused.

"When you told me that you couldn't conjure light from thin air" he said very matter-of-factly.

A surprised laugh bubbled up "Oh shut up, you're not helping" I gave him a shove.

"Careful Fili, she might blast you away" Kili joked from behind me.

Making a joke about the situation was helping me calm down slightly. I took a deep breath and looked down at my hands. They didn't seem any different. No foreign magic snaking its way under the surface. Just skin, bone and sinew. It was so strange.

Everyone had gone to explore the hoard as I was getting checked over by Oin. I could see people exiting the cave with random treasures they'd found. There was nothing that anyone could do that would make me go in that cave though. At least the swords had been found. I could see Thorin dusting off what I assumed was Orcrist.

It was as I was stuck in my own thoughts that a very bedraggled wizard crashed into the field. Huge rabbits bound their way towards us before settling down by a tree. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I would have fallen from the log if Kili hadn't have caught me. He righted me quickly so that I was upright. Gandalf went off to talk to Radagast on his own. Moving into the trees. Everyone else went about their own business again.

Wait. Something was going to happen. I was too busy freaking out that I forgot about the orcs following us. Hastily, I got to my feet. Ambling over towards Thorin.

"Leah…"

"We need to move. We need to leave" I spoke quickly.

Thorin was instantly alert, his sword dropping to his side. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Orcs, there's going to be orcs crawling all over this area"

Thorin's eyebrows raised but he didn't look too surprised. As if he knew about this outcome already. "Kili warned me of this" then he turned to the company "Everyone ready your weapons, we need to move now!"

"Why the haste, Thorin?" said Gandalf, who had just emerged from the trees.

"Orcs" Thorin spat. Then a wild howl split through the air. Confirming his suspicions.

"There's no time to get the ponies, we left them back at camp," said Ori, looking worriedly into the forest.

"We will have to run"

oOo

Radagast, thankfully, agreed to lead the orcs away. His rhosgobel rabbits bounded away at tremendous speed. It was difficult to run with bruised ribs but I breathed through the pain and sped on. I was running faster than I'd ever done before. Adrenaline and fear were one hell of a drug. We wound our way out of the trees and into a vast plain. The cover of rocks were few and far between. I could see the orc scouts racing after Radagast's sleigh. The sight of them made me want to freeze. A deep, instinctive, fear threatened to overtake my body. But the dwarves refused to let me slow down. There was always a hand at my back urging me on.

We ran between the rocks and down hills. Orc scouts appeared suddenly in our path and we had to divert. Quickly changing course. Radagast's haphazard driving was causing the orcs to ride in our direction. I cursed under my breath but carried on. A rocky outcrop loomed in front of us and we sidled up to it. Sticking close to the wall. I could hear the shouts and snarls behind us. Black speech falling from their mouths. Squeezing my eyes shut I covered my ears

"_Mithiel" I cried. A dark black arrow now sprouted from the horse's neck. Blood maring her perfect, grey coat._

_I was running through a dark forest. Awful sounds following me. Snarling. Laughing. Dark words._

"_Found you" a gnarled hand shot out, burying a knife deep into my stomach._

Not now. I shook my head and willed the visions to go. A cry humming at the back of my throat. Bilbo grabbed my shoulder, making me look at him. He didn't say anything but his look told me that I wasn't alone. I was very grateful for his presence. Everyone was silent as we heard the sound of footfalls from behind us. A lone rider was circling towards us. I held my breath. Not willing to make even the slightest of sounds.

It didn't matter though. There was nowhere to hide and the body of the beast soon came into view. Kili shot at them, not even waiting for Thorin's signal. His arrow cutting through the orcs throat. The orc fell off the back of the warg with a screech but the warg continued to run at us. Bifur and Dwalin launched themselves at the creature. Fighting it with axe and spear. Bifur thrust his spear deep into the warg's belly and Dwalin chopped at it's skull with a large axe. They felled it quickly.

Quickly but not quietly. The screams had alerted the others to our location. The thundering of feet began racing in our direction. We had to run. I hardly paid attention to where we were running to. Simply following the others. Hoping that they knew what they were doing more than I did. We ran for as long as we could. Dodging the swords and the arrows from the orcs. It reached a point where we could run no more. The riders had circled around and had flanked us from all sides.

"Stay together!" yelled Thorin, brandishing his sword.

Everyone formed a tight circle, watching the orc scouts get nearer. My sword was in my hands too. The pommel wasn't slipping through my hands despite how sweaty they were.

"Where's Gandalf"

"Where's the wizard" I heard someone yelling.

"Over here you fools" Gandalf was standing behind a large boulder, urging us to follow him. Arrows were landing at our feet as we ran to the entrance. They jumped down without looking or caring where it went. Simply wanting to flee. Looking back I saw that Thorin and Kili were still in the middle of the field. Orcs drawing in closer. Without thinking I charged back out. I needed to reach him. Kili was still shooting at the orcs, too engrossed to fall back.

"Kili we need to go!" I yelled, grabbing his shoulder. Forcing him to come back with me

He nodded and began to walk backwards. Just as we were ready to flee, I saw an orc raise it's bow. It's arrow aimed directly at my chest.

"NO!" Kili screamed as the arrow was loosed.

It never found its mark though as Kili shoved me bodily out of the way. The momentum throwing me to the ground. The arrow had found a new mark. Buried in the left side of Kili's chest. The world slowed. Kili looked down with shock and pain. He reached up to touch the arrow, blood flowing beneath his fingers. The only way that I knew I was screaming was from the pain in my throat. I could no longer hear anything, my heart too loud in my ears.

Kili fell to his knees. His breaths getting shallower. I quickly stood up on shaky legs. The orcs were still behind us. Readying more weapons. I gripped under his armpits and hauled with all my might. Thorin was suddenly next to me, helping me drag Kili to safety. We got to the entrance of the hole. Positioning Kili's legs over the edge we slid down with him. Everyone moved out of the way. Making room for Kili on the floor. His skin was so pale and a sheen of sweat coated every inch. Crazed, pained eyes searched all around him, before landing on me.

"Oin Help!" I heard someone say.

I refused to leave Kili's side. Even when I felt someone trying to move me. Tears were flowing down my face in a never ending river. Tears filled his eyes too. His hand reached up for me shakily. It only made it part way before it fell back down. Too weak to move anymore. I reached out and brought his hand up to my face. Not caring about the blood or dirt that coated it.

"Kili, stay with me" I sobbed "You're gonna be okay. We're gonna get you help"

We needed to get him to the elves. Fast. Only they could save him from a wound this great.

Kili tried to speak. Each breath looking like it cost him greatly to do. "Le. !"

Oin had pulled the arrow out of Kili's chest. Rivulets of red blood and black ooze flowed out of the wound.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT, HE'LL BLEED OUT!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs. My hands quickly covered the wound. Blood soaking through my fingers.

"It's a morghul shaft it would poison him faster than the blood loss would kill him"

I was no longer listening. The only sound my ears picked up was the staccato beat of Kili's heart. Slowing. Slowing. Slowing.

No no no no no no no. Kili let out a choking noise. It sounded like he was drowning. Small drops of blood sputtered from his mouth. Then his head fell to the side, his eyes no longer seeing. No breath escaped from his mouth. No beats came from his chest.

He was dead.

_The End I'm kidding, I'm kidding I promise. The story doesn't end here, I have a plan. The next chapter is nearly finished so you shouldn't be left with this cliff hanger for too long. Just know that I was nearly crying writing this, it didn't help that I had that song, Doomed, on in the background while I wrote._


	19. Am I vital?

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't hear. My vision had tunneled until Kili was the only thing I could see. His face ashen, pale and slack. Eyes unseeing, staring at nothing. Ugly sobs wracked my body, the flow of tears never stopped. My fists had a white knuckle grip on Kili's shirt. It felt like someone had taken a knife and rammed it into my heart. White hot pain. I struggled to breathe around it. Each breath came out as a whimper.

Kili was gone.

I would never see him smile again. The smile that made me feel like my heart would burst out of my chest. His laugh, that was so infectious, would never ring through the air again. He was one of the warmest and best people I had ever known. I loved him. Loved him so much it hurt...And I never got to tell him. I was too much of a coward and now he was gone.

" you can't gone" each word was broken up by a sob. "Come back." I shook him. Demanding him, the world, anything that would listen "Come Back! COME BACK".

Several hands reached around me. My arms, my waist. They all tried to pull me backwards. Pull me away.

"NOOO!" I fought against all of them. using a strength I didn't know I had.

I gripped Kili's chest with everything I had. Kili was not supposed to die here. This was my fault. I was supposed to save him. I _am_ supposed to _save_ him. He can't die here. Not like this. Another sob tore through me. It felt like I was falling. Falling into the deepest, darkest pit with no hope of ever resurfacing.

My sobs we're suddenly cut short. A gasp falling from my mouth. Another electric sensation had started coursing through my hands. The bright white glow had returned. Only this time it wasn't blasting anyone away. I stared at my hands in shock for only a second before something instinctual drove me. Leaning back I placed my hands over the wound on Kili's chest. The blood still poured out of it at a sluggish pace.

A strange, raw power began pouring out of my hands. Rushing into the wound. Flowing and flowing like a burst dam of light. The light spread beneath Kili's skin like blood in a vein. Traveling the length of his body. With a shock I realised that I could _feel_ him. As if his body were my own. Whatever magic was flowing from my hands seeked out the damaged area. I could feel where his lung had collapsed around the arrow. The magic like fingers tracing the wound. It's shape was wrong. I don't know how but I willed the cells to reform. To knit back together. The blood flowing from the wound was staunched.

The world was dimming around me. My breaths had slowed to pained gasps. I was giving all I could. Whatever power was flowing through me, I was giving it everything. My arms had started to shake below me. Barely keeping me upright as I leaned over his chest. Both my power and energy were waning. I knew it was only a matter of time before I would pass out completely. But I gritted my teeth and carried on.

The hole in Kili's chest began to glow brighter. Strands of skin reformed until it looked like there was never a wound there. Magic, then wrapped around his heart. Pulsing. Begging it to restart.

Kili shot up with a gasp. Like a drowning man who had finally tasted air.

With all my energy spent I fell face first onto his chest. Surrendering to darkness.

oOo

**Kili (Mahal's Halls)**

He had seen the arrow aimed at her. A fear unlike any other had gripped him. Taken him by the throat and forced him to act. Kili couldn't lose her. Not again. So he had taken her place. Pushed her away as far as he could. He didn't feel it at first. The arrow. The shock of it drowned out any pain. When he looked down he could see it. Sticking, obscenely, out of his chest. His hands reached up, not knowing what to do. Blood, deep red, flowed between his fingers.

And then the pain came.

Like fire burning through his body. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think. He barely felt himself being dragged backwards. The pain too great to register much else. Falling, however, he did feel. It knocked the arrow and sent raw, burning agony cascading through his body. He couldn't move, couldn't talk. People moved around him but his vision was blacking out. His eyes finally zeroed in, to something on his right. A face. A beautiful, sad face.

Leah. He wanted to reach for her. She was the only thing he could see or concentrate on through the pain. Leah picked up his hand when he failed to reach for her. He could barely feel her skin beneath his own. The sensation too overpowered by the pain. He tried to call out for her. Instead a roar escaped his body. The pain was unyielding. Pulling. Tearing, yanking. Breath could no longer get into his body. No matter how hard he tried, air would not fill his lungs.

His vision had completely disappeared. Drowning out even Leah's face.

Then the pain itself started to fade. His consciousness drifting off with it.

All at once he was no more.

oOo

When he opened his eyes again, the world was no longer the same. Gone was the claustrophobic darkness of the cave. In its stead was a shining sky. White, like pure starlight. Hanging high above him. It should have hurt his eyes; blinded him to look upon it. Yet it didn't. It yielded only a solid comfort, like a blanket placed over you. Keeping you safe.

The overwhelming pained had ceased. As if it was never there. His breath flowed in and out of his body freely. It felt so good to be able to breathe again. There was no fear anymore. Where it had been all consuming, a terror unlike any other, he now felt a blissful calm. This wasn't right. He shouldn't feel calm right now. He had to get back. The sensations of his body finally came back to him. Now able to move freely, he quickly looked down at his chest. The arrow was gone. Not even a drop of blood marred his shirt. He frantically grabbed at the edges of his collar. Tugging, exposing the skin below. Smooth, unblemished skin ran across his chest.

Kili swung his head around, trying to get a grip on his surroundings. The ground below him was white, a cloud of fog skimmed its surface. But it wasn't cold or wet, it flowed around his skin comfortingly. Like a gentle caress.

Sounds arose from somewhere behind him. Happy raucous laughter. Singing and music. Clambering to his feet he turned to see the source of the sounds. A huge doorway had appeared in front of him. So vast it must have spanned a mile wide. The architecture was so complex, made up of geometric shapes that slotted into one another almost seamlessly. Only the best of dwarven architects could even fathom how it was put together. A shimmering veil of light danced across the surface of the doorway. Pearlescent hues dancing across it. A barrier from the outside to the inside. One would have to pass through it in order to enter the halls.

Mahal's halls, he realised.

The place where dwarven souls go to rest when they leave the world behind them. When they... die. He was dead! How did this happen? He was with Leah, protecting her. Kili only wanted to protect her. And he paid his life for it. A sob ripped its way out of his throat. The foreign feeling of calm no longer winning out. How was he supposed to save his family now? Thorin and Fili. He was supposed to save them. His brother and uncle couldn't die as he had. They needed to live.

Kili gripped his shirt over his chest. His knuckles went white with how tight he was holding on. Shuddering sobs jolted through his body. The veil shifted in front of him. He did not want to go through it. To join the ranks of his forebears. He wasn't ready. There was a sense of vulnerability as he gazed upon Mahal's halls. It was like he was a child again, gazing out into an unknown world.

The veil shifted again. Except this time a shadow appeared from the other side. Starting off huge yet faint, spanning the whole height of the doorway. Before shrinking and deepening in colour. As if something was getting closer. It continued to shrink until the shadow was dwarf sized. Then from behind the veil stepped a dwarf, still in his prime. His hair was a deep gold and he had a smile that never left his face. A dwarf that looked like Fili, only older.

"Adad" he cried, barely getting the word out.

With tears still falling down his face, he raced forward. Crashing into his Adad's arms. It was really him. He even smelled the same. Kili clung onto him like a child would cling to a teddy bear. So scared that if he let him go he would disappear. His adad's arms wrapped around him. Fingers threaded into his hair and he felt a kiss on his forehead.

"I'm so proud of you azaghâlithûh" Vali spoke into his hair "I love you, Kili"

Over the years Kili was devastated to find out that he could no longer recall what is Adad had sounded like. Hearing his voice after all this time was like finding water in a desert. The sweet relief made him sob harder.

"I love you too, Adad" Kili straightened up so that he could lay his forehead against his adad's. Vali's eyes gazed back at him, so filled with love. The same colour as his own. With a start he realised that he now stood taller than his adad. Vali had died when he was so young he never thought it possible that he could grow bigger than him.

"I'm sorry" he cried "I failed"

"You did no such thing my boy" Vali reached for Kili's face, wiping the tears away. "You saved your One"

"But I was supposed to save them" Kili grabbed his adad's hands where they rested on his face.

"And you will"

"What?" Kili's brow furrowed. The sudden confusion stopped anymore tears from forming.

"Your story doesn't end here" Vali stroked Kili's cheek "There is still more to tell"

But, he was dead. The halls of Mahal were right in front of him. There was no way back. Vali removed his hands from his sons face. He then reached into a pocket on the front of his shirt. Grabbing one of Kili's hands he placed an item in it. Closing Kili's fist around them.

"These are for you," said Vali "I want you to tell your One how you feel. Just lean in and kiss her. Don't look back"

Vali was speaking quickly as if he was running out of time.

"And I need you to tell Fili that I'm so proud of him. He needs to stop thinking that he failed in protecting his family. He's done more than I ever could have hoped for"

"But.."

"Tell your mother that I love her. She is my Kurdel and she always will be" Vali had started to step backwards. Edging closer to the veil.

"Adad, I don't know what you mean. I can't do any of those things. I'm dead"

"Not if she has anything to say about it"

"Who?.."

Then he saw it. A pair of arms made out of pure light. They wrapped around him as if hugging him from behind. The hands settled over his heart. A glow began emanating from his chest. He could feel a strange pulse in his heart. And then the arms pulled.

He was pulled backwards and he fell. Straight through the clouded floor. Into the unknown below.

oOo

(Outside Rivendell)

Air crashed back into his lungs violently. He jolted up with the strength of it. It took a second for him to understand his surroundings. The company, everyone was crying. Shock soon replaced the tears. Ori even fell backwards. To his left he could see his brother and his uncle. Tracks of tears still stained their cheeks. Their faces a mixture of distraught, happy and confused. Fili grabbed his head and rammed his forehead into Kili's own.

"Kili" Fili cried, his own tears falling onto Kili's face.

He tried to get up only to be restricted by an unknown weight. Looking down he could see the blonde of Leah's hair. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was slack. She didn't react when he shook her. Though he could tell that she wasn't dead a panic still gripped him.

"Leah, Leah?" he turned to Oin "What's wrong with her?"

Had she done something? Why was he back but she was out cold? Could Leah be the 'she' that had brought him back? it didn't make any sense.

Gandalf tried to explain as best as he could what had happened. Her hands had glowed like before but this time it had saved him. She had healed him. No more than that. He had already crossed the brink of death and she had somehow climbed across the brink and pulled him back.

Leah was lifted off him so that he could stand up. They needed to find her a healer. An elven one. Thorin agreed without hesitation. In any other circumstance, Kili would have been shocked that Thorin would willingly go to the elves for help. But this was different. She had saved Kili's life and Thorin was willing to return the favour. The other dwarves refused to let Kili carry Leah. Claiming that they did not want to risk his health further. They said this but Kili had never felt so healthy. So invigorated. He felt like he could run for miles and not falter.

In the end it was Thorin who carried Leah. Her head rolled listlessly to the side as he lifted her. His heart broke when he saw the state she was in. He longed to hold her.

A confused gasp fell out of him as he became aware of a foreign sensation. Kili swore he could feel her heartbeat. Even from so far away. It beat in tandem with his own. He rubbed his chest, confused by the feeling. That's when he realised that there was an object still in his hand. The gift his adad had gave him. It somehow had followed him back to the world of the living. Apprehension gripped him as he uncurled his hand. In the middle of his palm sat two small, cylindrical objects. They were bright silver and shone with the same pearlescent hue as the veil had. It was unlike any metal that was present in this world. The outside was carved with intricate runes that indicated their purpose. They were beads. Courting beads to be exact. The kind you give to your One to confess your love. He nearly choked up when he saw them. The last gift his father could give him.

Everyone began moving down the stone corridor. Breaking him from his thoughts. Kili quickly pocketed the beads before anyone could see. He couldn't handle any questions right now. Fili hung onto him as they made their way through the maze. Refusing to let go, scared that he'll disappear if he did. With Gandalf leading the way they soon came to a cave opening. Below them stretched the legendary elven city of Rivendell. The buildings were constructed in a winding valley. A fast moving river ran through the centre. No one had time to bask in its beauty though. They were too busy forging a path down the hill side to get to the valley below.

They reached the bottom and came to an elven bridge. Gandalf led the way, beckoning towards the elves at the end of the gangway.

"Mithrandir" said a brunette elf that was descending down the stairs.

"Ah Lindir, we need your help" said Gandalf "Where is Lord Elrond?"

Lindir looked at Gandalf with concern. "Lord Elrond's scouting party is coming in now"

Lindir pointed behind the company, to where several horses had started to gallop towards them. Everyone closed ranks. Keeping Bilbo and Leah in the centre. The horses rode around the group, herding them tighter together, before finally settling down. A tall, regal elf climbed down from his horse and made his way to the front of the group.

"Gandalf" greeted the elf.

"Lord Elrond, we must hurry. A member of our company has grown dangerously weak" implored Gandalf.

Elrond's smile dropped and he was immediately serious. "Whom?"

The dwarves parted so that Thorin could step out, Leah still in his arms. The elves gasped when they saw her. They instantly jumped into action, secreting Leah away. Kili was not left behind either. He was grabbed and brought along with her. Gandalf had informed them of what had transpired. That meant that he was also to be poked and prodded to see how he faired. He didn't want to be there but they wouldn't let him leave until they were sure he was fine. It pained him to be so far away from Leah. What if something bad happened? He could not live with himself if she had given her life just to save him. Even if he had done the same for her.

Fili, thankfully, stayed with him so he didn't have to face the elven healers alone. They would speak in their own tongue around him. Leaving him clueless as to what they were talking about. Sometimes the elves seemed like they were looking through him rather than at him. Staring into his very soul. A shocked gasp fell from their lips the first time they did it. Though they did not inform him of what was so shocking.

Once he was given a clean bill of health the elven healers left the room. Fili was upon him as soon as the door closed. He wrapped his arms around Kili, bringing him close. Tears had sprung in his brothers eyes once more.

"Oh Kili, I nearly lost you again" Fili buried his head into Kili's shoulder "I failed you again"

"No Fili, you did not fail at anything. Look at me" Fili looked up into Kili's eyes.

Kili's throat felt tight. "I saw Adad" a single tear fell from Kili's eye at the memory.

"You did?" Fili's voice was astonished.

"I did" he nodded "He told me to tell you that he was so proud of you. And that you have never failed him or me"

Fili's face crumpled at the words "He said that? That he was proud of me?"

Kili nodded, tears brimming his eyes at seeing his brother cry. He leaned his forehead against Fili's, just letting them both cry for a bit.

"He also gave me something" Kili mumbled.

"Gave you something?"

Kili reached into his pocket and withdrew the beads. He opened his fingers and showed them to His brother. Fili gasped when he saw them.

"Courting beads" a surprised laugh fell out of Fili's mouth "Now you have no excuse not to tell her"

oOo

**Leah (Rivendell)**

Consciousness returned to me very gradually. Like the trickling of sand in a timer. Slowly but surely I became aware of my surroundings. First it was my limbs, then it was my fingers and toes. I could feel that I was lying down, the surface was soft and silky to the touch. My mind was the last thing to catch up with me. Once it did I bolted upright, gasping. Where was Kili? My thoughts danced around my head, refusing to stay still. I couldn't quite remember what had happened. Was he okay?

A woman darted back when I got up. No not a woman. An elf. Her hair was a dark ebony and it fell down her face in curtains. Her skin was a soft, brown colour. She reached over and patted my shoulder.

"Shhh it's okay, you're okay" Her tone was soft and comforting. She guided me to lie back down "You should not get up so fast. You used a lot of energy"

"Who are you? Where am I?" looking around I could see that I was in a very opulent room. There were floating gossamer curtains leading to a balcony and the pillars were carved to look like trees.

"My name is Rehtinde and you are in Imladris, young one" she spoke softly "I will go inform Lord Elrond that you are awake"

She bowed her head slightly and smiled before gliding out of the door. Leaving me to my own thoughts. What had happened for me to get here? My mind was refusing to cooperate at first. The thoughts moving at a snail's pace. Then It came crashing into me all at once. Like a wrecking ball.

Kili had died.

My hands had glowed with that strange power again. Did I save him? I couldn't remember. Tears began forming in my eyes and I was left gasping for breath. My hand clutched at my chest. That's when I noticed a strange sensation. Like a second heartbeat. Not quite timelord-esque. At least I don't think. I knew it didn't come from my own chest but I could feel it all the same.

Kili?

Was that him I could feel? The steady beat soon calmed my own heart. I felt like I could breathe again. A few beats later, I saw the door to my room swing open. In the doorway stood a very tall elf. His dark hair was braided on either side of his face.

"Well met, Leah. My name is Lord Elrond" he said "It's good to see you are awake"

My eyes widened at the name. This was _The_ Lord Elrond. Holy shit!

Behind him walked a very familiar face wrapped up in grey. "Gandalf" I sighed, it was good to see him.

"Ah, my dear" he walked towards me, placing a hand on my shoulder "You had us all very worried"

"What happened?" I asked, glancing down at my hands. Knowing that they were the culprit.

It was Elrond who spoke first, he came and stood by the side of my bed. "You have displayed some very powerful healing magic. Many elves have this skill but they pale in comparison to what you accomplished. The dwarf's soul had already passed into Aulë's halls yet you managed to bring him back. That is no small feat."

I froze as he spoke. I had done that? But I didn't even know what I was doing.

"A power such as this has only been gifted to a handful of elves throughout the ages," he continued.

"But I'm not from here" I said "Why do I have these powers?"

I wasn't knocking them, I'm very happy that I have them. Otherwise Kili would be dead right now. It just didn't make sense for me to have them.

Elrond and Gandalf shared a strange look between them. I wasn't sure that I wanted to know what that meant.

"Gandalf has told me much about you, Leah" I assumed that meant he knew about my world. "He has also informed about the strange occurrences that you have been experiencing. The memories that were not your own"

I nodded, not knowing what to say.

It was Gandalf who spoke up next to me. "My dear, those memories were your own you just couldn't recall them until you had returned here"

"Returned here?" What the hell did that mean? And how could they be my memories?

"Yes, Leah. Your Fëa, your soul, was originally from Arda" said Elrond

My eyebrows shot up and I looked between the two of them waiting for them to tell me they were joking. Their faces remained deadly serious.

"How? I lived my whole life in another world" I sputtered.

Elrond walked around the bed until he stood at the foot. His hand traced the carved wood of the foot board "Was there an event that happened in your life, a tragic one, in which you were gravely ill or injured?"

How could he know? "I was in a car accident when I was 6. It killed my dad and brother"

Elrond looked like he expected this answer "Many different versions of us exist across many different worlds. It would seem the version of you from that world also died in that accident. Allowing the Fëa from this version of you to slip into that body" said Elrond.

My mouth fell open. Was he calling me some kind of body snatcher? Like I had stolen my body from someone else. Surely he must be mistaken. But then again I remembered Mum telling me how the doctors had been astounded that both of us had survived. They had said that it was a miracle that we hadn't succumbed to our injuries. Mum and I healed from the crash in ways the doctors hadn't expected. Leaving only a few scars rather than life altering injuries. Did that mean mum was from here too?

"If that's true, why did my soul leave Middle Earth in the first place?" I asked.

"The only way for your Fëa to become detached from your body is by being slain. Your body remains on Middle Earth while your soul is supposed to pass into the halls of Mandos. Only yours didn't. It was placed in another world" Elrond continued.

Slain? I had already been killed in this world? That would explain all the nightmares then. Of me being a small child and been hunted down by orcs. It had actually happened. The thought made me feel sick.

"I still don't see why I was placed in another world"

"I believe I may have an idea," said Gandalf from beside me. I looked up at him expectantly. "The elves of this world were once allowed to return to the earthly plain upon their death. They would be given a new body and make the journey back to Middle Earth. Only the journey was perilous and many elves lost their lives again before they ever made it back. The path was closed completely during the second age which meant that no elf could ever return. I believe that you were placed in your world as a way to circumvent that. A loophole so that you could be brought back when you were needed."

I let Gandalf's words sink in. This was too much to handle in one go. My body was tiring just thinking about the situation.

"Is it the same with my Mum?" I asked "She came back too"

"We cannot be certain but it would appear so if she too has returned to this world" said Elrond.

Gandalf gently lay me down and gave my shoulder a comforting pat. "Rest now, my dear, we can discuss your mother once you are feeling better"

I wanted to protest but I could already feel my eyelids drooping. It wasn't long before they refused to open all together and I drifted off into a deep sleep.

_See I told you I had a plan. I realise that the elves having healing magic isn't exactly canon but I'm pretending it is for this fanfiction. That's what fanfic is for after all This has been my favourite chapter to write. Kili seeing his dad was just the best to write. Kurdel- Heart of all hearts azaghâlithûh- My young warrior Rehtinde literally means woman who heals in quenya_


	20. Looking for another to combine

I woke, once again, from a very deep sleep. For a few seconds I had forgotten where I was. There was a brief moment of panic before I recalled that I was in fact in Rivendell. The room was significantly darker than it had been when I had first woken up. Through the floating curtains I caught glimpses of shining stars. Night had fallen then. How long had I been sleeping?

I was alone this time. Not even the elf woman, Rehtinde, was here. The room seemed so large with no one else to fill it. Large and dark and empty. All I could hear was a faint rustling of leaves and the rushing of water far below. I brought my legs up to my chest and hugged them close. For the first time since I arrived in Middle Earth I felt completely alone. Even in Rildolach, when I had my own room to stay in, I could always hear the dwarves through the walls. It made me feel like someone was always there. But here, right now, it was only me.

The oppressive feeling of loneliness was nearly overwhelming. I could feel an ache in my chest as I longed for someone else to be with me. So far I'd managed to compartmentalise and not think too long about the people that were out of reach . But now, in the lonely dark, my thoughts turned to them. My best friend was another world away and I missed her desperately. We barely got the chance to say goodbye to each other.

I also wanted my mum. Like a lost child, I needed my mum to tell me everything was okay. But she wasn't here and I had no idea where she would be. She could be hurt or worse. Middle Earth hadn't been kind to me so far so I don't see how it would be kind to her either. Part of me had hoped that she was here, in Rivendell. That maybe the portal had spat her out in relative safety. However by the way Elrond spoke about my Mum I'm going to guess that that is not the case.

The first time I woke up there was a lot of information thrown at me and I didn't have the chance to process any of it. I hadn't fully processed the fact that Kili had _died_ either. He had actually died. Right there in front of me. His heart had stopped beating below my hands. My breath caught in my throat and I could feel a sob bubble up. Tears were already falling down my face and landing on the blanket covering my knees. Creating a pattern of droplets across the surface.

Kili had died...and it was all my fault.

If I hadn't been in the picture then no one would have gotten hurt. The only reason this happened was because I was there. The orc was aiming an arrow at me and Kili had taken the blow instead. It should have been me with an arrow in my chest. Not him. I don't know how I could face any of the dwarves knowing that I was the reason Kili had nearly died.

Nails dug painfully into my legs as I clung on. Sobs were rising through me in great heaving gasps. My heart beat was increasing as my panic did. The second heartbeat, drumming in rhythm along my own, also began to increase. The sensation drew me up short. Stopping my sobs with a shuddering breath.

Kili?

Why did I automatically assume it was him? There had been no clue as to suggest what the mystery sensation was. Yet something instinctual in me, automatically labelled it as him.

Kili was alive. He came back. He came back because I willed him to. I needed to calm my breathing and stop my panicking. Somewhere, in this valley, was Kili. Alive and well. Everything in me ached to see him. To hold him close and ensure that he was real. Not some kind of illusion.

There was so much I needed to tell him. He needed to know how I felt about him once and for all. No backing out or waiting for the right moment. Kili had died while I had been waiting for the _right_ moment. Who knows what else could happen. It was vital that I stopped second guessing myself and simply told him. If he didn't feel the same way then I'd deal with it but I couldn't cope with him never knowing.

There was also the fact that I was apparently born here. I hadn't been _turned _into an elf, I'd been an elf originally. It brought so many questions that I didn't know any of the answers to. Who was I in this world? The only clue I had to go on was the name 'Liriel' from the visions. No, not visions, memories. My memories. I had a life in this world. A happy one with a happy family. It had been cut short by someone or _something _ending my life. The same evil creatures had probably killed my Mum too. That's why we both had ended up in the other world.

I froze suddenly as questioning thoughts bubbled to the surface. If the reason that Mum and I were sent to another world was because we had been killed, then what had happened to Dad and Lachlan? Their souls never travelled over. Did that mean.. Did that mean that their souls never left Middle Earth? That they had never died?

I squeezed my eyes shut. Unwilling to feed into that hope. Not yet. I couldn't bare the devastation if it turned out not to be true.

A soft knock at my door shocked me out of my musings. The knocker didn't wait for me to say anything before making their way inside. I straightened up from where I was hunched over. Rehtinde entered the room with a lit candle in her hand. She smiled kindly at me as her eyes made contact with my own. Then she took her candle and lit a few lanterns along the wall.

"I didn't mean to disturb but you sounded quite upset" said Rehtinde, her voice very soft.

She came over to the bed and placed the candle down on the bedside table. It cast a warm glow across her face. Then she perched herself on the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay, Leah?" she asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't trust my voice so I simply shook my head. A few tears began to fall again.

"Oh come here, young one" her expression was very motherly.

She reached over and brought me into an embrace. At first I froze at the contact but then melted into her arms. Rehtinde may not look anything like my mum but at that moment she was the closest thing I could find. Empathy and kindness seemed to fall off of her in waves. She let me cry in her arms. Her hand rubbing soothing circles down my back. Something in me realised that she was probably treating me like a child but a vulnerable part of me didn't care. I needed it.

I leaned back when I started to feel calm again. "Can I see Kili? please. I need to see him"

Rehtinde took her sleeve and wiped a tear away from my cheek. The sleeve came back with a faint tinge of grime across it. She looked down at it with a small smile. "How about I draw you a bath first?"

I couldn't really argue with that. As much I wanted to see him, I knew I would feel better if I was clean first. So I nodded. Rehtinde then stood up and smoothed out the front of her dress.

"Lord Elrond has asked me to inform him when you were awake. I think that he has more that he wishes to discuss with you. I will go and fetch him after you have had your bath then he will probably escort you to your friends" she said.

"Okay" I breathed.

Then she moved into another room attached to this one. The sound of flowing water emanated from the room. Soft scents began floating on the breeze. I sighed contentedly. It smelled so good. Like clean linen and flowers. After a little while the sound of water shut off. Then Rehtinde returned to the room and made her way over to me.

"Can you stand on your own?"

My eyebrows crinkled slightly. Why wouldn't I be able to? I guess I used a lot of energy to save Kili but I felt fine now. Save for the odd ache in my limbs. I drew the blanket away from me and made to get up. My legs weren't too pleased with the movement. After being stationary for a long while, it took a moment to adjust. Rey-I decided that Rehtinde was too long to say in my head- then led me into the bathroom. It was very airy and open. The bath was built into the floor with steps leading down into it. White, foamy bubbles covered the surface of the water and steam rose into the air. It looked like a dream come true. My first proper bath since I'd landed in Middle Earth.

Rey left me to my own devices. I quickly stripped out of my dirty clothes. Eager to get into the water. Testing it with my toe first, I sighed at the warmth. Then the rest of me followed. Sinking into the hot water. It felt so good. For a second I just floated there with my eyes closed. Basking in the warmth. I had taken baths for granted. It was only after I couldn't have one that I realised just how good they were.

Small ceramic jars lined one part of the bath. Alongside it I could see small cloths and a large sponge. I glided over towards them. Picking up one of the jars, I peered into it. Some kind of liquid soap gathered at the bottom. A slightly purple tinge to it. I picked up the others and decided to use the one that smelled the nicest. The one that smelled of rose. I scrubbed at my body with the sponge. Grime had started to cloud the water. Thankfully Kili's blood had already been cleaned from my hands before I woke up. If I had woken up with it still there I think I would have thrown up.

I may have stayed in the bath longer than I needed to. The light from the candles had soon been replaced by the deep orange glow of the sunrise. Sighing, I climbed out of the water. A large fluffy towel was laid across a small stone bench. Snatching it up, I wrapped it around me. I was the cleanest I'd felt in a long time.

The stained clothes were still strewn across the floor. My lip curled in disgust. Hopefully Rey had something else I could wear. Tentatively-because I was still only in a towel-I opened the door leading to the bedroom. Rey was placing a large tray onto a desk in the corner. The tray was ladened with food. She looked up and smiled when she saw me hovering.

"We managed to find a few dresses for you to wear" She motioned with her head towards the bed. "You can get dressed behind that screen if you like"

A changing screen was stood up behind her. I nodded and made my way over to the bed. The towel was securely wrapped around me and it came down to my shins so I wasn't concerned about being seen in it. Little pools of water formed below my feet as I walked. There were 4 dresses on the bed. All of them were floor length and had long billowy sleeves. They were all different colours. White, dark green, royal blue and burgundy. It was a close call between blue and green but my eyes were more drawn to the blue one. What can I say it's my favourite colour.

The material was soft when I picked it up. It seemed to be a rather simple design. No weird corset or tassels involved. I would be able to get it on without assistance. Walking behind the screen i quickly pulled it on. The dress was a little snug around the chest but other than that it fit pretty well. It had a square neckline that had silver embroidery around the edge. The same embroidery lined the sleeves as well. I'd not worn a dress for well over a month, I think it was some kind of record. A small smile came to my face when I swung the skirt around.

My hair was still hanging in damp tresses when I emerged from behind the screen.

"I thought you would be hungry," said Rey "You've been unconscious for over a day"

Over a day!? Holy shit I hadn't even realised.

My stomach started growling as if on cue. Damn I was hungry. I made my way over to the desk and sat down. There was a large mirror reflecting the room back at me. I looked at my reflection with a new appreciation. This is what I was supposed to look like. Pointy ears and all. I pondered for a moment longer before digging into my food. There was fruit and pastries and bread and cheese. It looked divine. A pitcher of water stood to the side as well. I dove in with no pre-amble.

"Slow down, it's not going anywhere" Rey laughed from behind me "I don't need you being sick"

My cheeks heated slightly and I mumbled a sorry. I then proceeded to eat my breakfast more slowly. After I finished, I realised that I didn't actually know anything about Rehtinde. Was she some kind of servant?

"I just realised that I never really asked about you" I mumbled, looking at her in the mirror. "What is it that you do at Rivendell?"

"Oh that's my fault I should have informed you sooner. I was your healer when you arrived here" she said "So it's my responsibility to make sure you are well"

A healer? I wonder if she had powers similar to my own.

Rey removed the tray from the table and placed it out of the way. Then she came up to me with another towel and a hair brush. "Would you like me to do your hair?"

I nodded and gave her a small smile. Firstly, she used the towel to dry the rest of my hair. Then she went about brushing out all of the knots. It reminded me of how my Mum used to brush my hair when I was little. Sat between her knees having my hair put into a ponytail before school. Once my hair was sufficiently brushed Rey moved on to style my hair.

"You remind me of when my daughter was younger" Rey reminisced "When she would let me do her hair"

"I'm not actually a child you know, I'm just short" I said, a little self-deprecatingly.

Rey seemed a little amused "I know that you are of age but it still doesn't stop me thinking of it"

Her straightforwardness made me giggle. "How old is your daughter now?"

"She recently celebrated her 1728th year" she smiled proudly.

"Not a child now then"

"No not a child anymore" She shook her head

Rey was still braiding my hair as she continued "She was a very quiet child, loved the arts. And she mainly took after her Adar in looks. Her colouring isn't as dark as mine. My own mother hailed from the East, that's where I got mine from"

Rey continued on about her daughter while she finished my hair. It was relaxing to hear the lilt of her voice talk with such love for her daughter. When she finished, my hair was half up half down. A long fishtail braid lay down the back of my head. It was definitely very elven. Once she was satisfied Rey then decided that she could go and get Lord Elrond.

I didn't know what to do when she left so I just got up and perched at the end of my bed. Sort of half-sitting, half-standing. The door opened not much later. Lord Elrond stepped through with a polite smile on his face. That must have meant that he was close by. Had he been waiting this whole time? Maybe I shouldn't have taken so long in the bath.

"Good morning Lady Leah. Are you well?" he placed his hands behind his back.

"Yes, I'm a lot better, thank you." I rushed out the words.

"That is good" Then he motioned towards some chairs that were close to the door "Perhaps we should sit down there are things we should discuss."

That doesn't bode well. It suddenly felt like I was going to get scolded by a teacher. In any case, I made my way over to the chairs and fell into one. I sunk a lot deeper than I expected and a nervous giggle rose up. Elrond thankfully ignored it and sat down across from me. I looked at him expectantly, nervous as to what he wanted to discuss.

"There are some things about yourself that I feel you should know" said Elrond "First is your age. Elves usually come of age once they reach 100"

100?! I was nowhere near that. Even if I added the years I spent here it wouldn't add up to 100. In my memories I appeared to be about the size I was when I was around 6. As elves age slower that could mean that I was anywhere between 20-30 when I first died. With my human years on top of that I could barely scrape 50. I hope he's not about to tell me that I am in fact a child.

"However as you spent a lot of your years as a human your Fëa aged accordingly. So even though you may be younger than 100 you are in fact of age" he continued.

That's a breath of relief. Did that make human years for elves the equivalent of dog years for humans?

"As humans age faster you didn't quite get the chance to develop the...stature normally fitting of an elf" said Elrond, a small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

He's basically saying I'm short and he thinks it's hilarious.

"So if I'm already of age does that mean that I'm gonna be short forever" I groaned.

"Yes it would appear so" he smiled. "Please forgive my people if they treat you in a way usually befitting a child to begin with. They know you are not but there hasn't been an elven child to dote on for hundreds of years"

That explained Rehtinde's reaction to me then. Though I was definitely taller than I was when I was 6. The height I assume I had been, last time I was in Middle Earth. Did that make my height the equivalent of an elven teenager's? Do elves even have the concept of teenagers?

Elrond then sobered up pretty quickly "The other topic I wish to discuss is about what you accomplished with your dwarven friend"

My smile dropped from my face at the topic change.

"You must know that simply healing him would not have brought him back. Even our most skilled healers cannot bring someone back once they are dead. You did something else in order to bring him back to this world"

What? What did that mean?

He carried on at my shocked look "When you healed him you also reached out and tied his life force to your own. Your Fëar are now connected to one another"

My hand covered my chest. That sensation was still beating away. So it _was_ Kili at the other end. Our souls were connected.

"This means that your lives are now bound together." he looked me dead in the eyes imploring me to listen carefully "If one of you shall die then so will the other"

"What!?" So if Kili or I died then we would drag the other down with us. Oh god, what have I done?

Elrond could see that I had started to panic so he reached out and covered my hand with his own. "This also means that he will live as long as you do. If nothing befalls either of you then he will live an elven lifetime"

It hadn't even occurred to me before that I would live as long as an elf. In my mind I thought that I was still a human underneath it all. If I had thought about it, then I would have realised that even if I saved Kili he would die way before I did. Now, it seems, that it was no longer a problem. I had made the dude technically immortal. It made my head spin.

"How do you know this?" I asked.

"Elves have the ability to view the Fëa of others. When our healers viewed yours they could see what appeared to be a thick 'rope', of sorts, connecting the two of you. These connections are not a new discovery. In the past elves with similar powers have bound small objects, like plants, to their life force. So that they will bloom forever. But these connections look like mere wisps in comparison to the one you now share." said Elrond "In those circumstances, were the plants to perish the elf would not die. The reason that your life is now so intrinsically connected is because you bound yourself to another sentient being. You will not be able to bring back another person as you are already bound to the dwarf."

A rope like connection? I tried to mentally search for what was joining mine and Kili's heartbeats together. It took a few seconds but I found it. It seemed to be flowing somewhere to my left. Is that where Kili was? Could I use this as some kind of Kili tracking device? When I reached out a mental hand towards it, I could feel that it was a tangible thing. It was the strangest feeling. Curiosity took over and I gave the rope a little tug. The heartbeat on the other end immediately sped up. What did I just do?

I found out a few seconds later. Kili must have done the same thing back to me. My breath fell out in a gasp and my heart beat increased. It felt like someone had touched my very soul. My very essence. The feeling was very vulnerable and intimate. Leaving me breathless. My cheeks heated at my reaction. I feel like that was not something I should have done with other people around. It felt like a very personal and private thing.

Elrond raised an eyebrow at me yet continued on "It shares some similarities to an elven marriage bond."

My face heated up. I remember how elves 'marry' in this world. Having sex with someone was basically how they got married. When Elrond had compared it to my situation, I got a little flustered. I hadn't had the chance to do anything like _that_ with Kili and he was saying that we were essentially married?

"Except in those circumstances the two Fëar combine to form something new. Your soul's remain separate." Elrond didn't seem to notice my red cheeks. "Also if one were to perish the other would live on"

My curiosity was slightly piqued. I didn't actually know much about how elves and Fëa really worked. Considering that I was an elf I should probably learn as much as possible.

"If their soul's combine then what happens when they die. I thought the Fëa was supposed to go to Valinor if you die, wouldn't that rip them apart" I asked

Elrond didn't make me feel stupid for asking questions. He was very patient and didn't patronize me when he spoke. "Elven Fëar are tied to Arda. That includes Middle Earth as well as the Undying Lands. As they remain a part of this world, their Fëa are not separated. The partner who did not pass will always still feel the Fëa of the other… It can be a comfort as well as a heartache"

"I can imagine"

Elrond's facial expression didn't betray anything as he spoke. However the way he paused suggested that he was concealing his own emotions. That's when I remembered that Elrond had personal experience with what he was describing. His wife may not have died but she was no longer in Middle Earth. It must be hard. To be able to feel your other half with you everyday but you're not able to see them.

A brief silence fell between us. I took it as an opportunity to ask about what had been on my mind. "So, has there been any signs of my mother near Rivendell?" there wasn't much hope in my voice as I already knew the answer.

Elrond's expression was sympathetic "I'm afraid not, my Lady. As far as I know there has not been a sudden appearance of another elleth near here"

Even though I expected it, it still hurt not knowing where she was.

"If you could tell me more about her-and yourself for that matter- we may be able to determine more. Perhaps if we can figure out who you were when you first lived here, it may help us discover your naneth's whereabouts." Elrond said "She may have been returned closer to where she originally lived"

I guess that makes sense. A small hope grew in my chest. If I could discover anything about my past life, I may be able to find out about my family. Like, are they still here? Alive? or did they die alongside me but their Fëar went to the Undying Lands instead?

"My mum's name is Ellen" I started "But I realise that she was probably called something different here." That's probably not very helpful.

"That is probably true" Elrond paused "Though Elin is the Sindarin word for star. Perhaps the names are similar."

I nodded, that made sense. "In the vision's- sorry, memories- the people called me Liriel. That's close to Leah, I guess."

Elrond appeared pensieve, a hand reached up to his chin "Liriel? That is a Sindarin name, also. It is derived from the word for song"

With how much I loved to sing, the name fit me like a glove. Also I had a feeling that it was probably quite a common name. Elves had a penchant for singing too after all. That meant that it wouldn't be a very good distinguishing factor for finding out who I was.

What else could I tell him about me? "Er, In the other world I had a twin brother. I assume that we were still twins here"

The idea of Lachlan not actually being my twin didn't sit right with me. It didn't make sense for him to be anything else.

Elrond's eyebrows rose dramatically. "Twins you say? Now twins can be quite a rare occurrence among our kind"

My eyebrows drew together "Don't you have twin boys?"

Elrond let out a small chuckle "That I do. I was blessed to have them. Nevertheless they are still rare and may help us determine who your family is" Elrond looked down, appearing deep in thought. He aired some of his thoughts as he mused. "So your name is Liriel… you have a twin brother… only you and your naneth travelled to this other world…"

He pondered for several moments. Then suddenly his expression froze and his eyes widened.

"Elinneth?" he spoke barely above a whisper "No that can't be"

I felt my breath catch in anticipation. Elinneth. Was that my mum's name? Did he know my family?

"Do you...Do you know who I was? Who my family is?"

Elrond's shock face closed off when I spoke. "I cannot be sure. I would rather confer with others before telling you of my suspicions. Lest they be incorrect. I would not wish to bring you sadness if I am wrong"

My heart dropped.

It made sense but I was so desperate to know.

Elrond composed himself quickly and stood up in one fluid motion. "We have spoken for quite some time and I assume you would like to see your companions"

"Yes please" I said, quickly standing up. Even though I wanted Elrond to tell me more, I was desperate to see my friends.

To see Kili

Elrond offered me his arm and I looped mine through it. He began leading us out of the room. My head only came up to his shoulder. I guess I had to get used to being the shortest elf ever.

Rivendell was magnificent. Everything seemed very organic and the buildings flowed along the valley. The sun was now higher up in the sky. Creeping over the cliff, sending slanted beams of light across the ground. Gardens sprouted up from everywhere. Overflowing with flowers. Elrond was leading me on a path that I had no hope of following on my own.

The more we walked, the more nervous I became. How could I face the dwarves knowing what I had caused? Would they hate me? I tried to control my breathing so as not to clue in Elrond to my internal panic. We came to a covered stone bride. The sunlight now illuminating everything. Including the figure standing in the middle of it, looking out into the water below.

Thorin

Upon seeing him, my composure started to crumble. I had gotten his nephew killed. What would he even say to me? He turned around as he heard us approach. When he made eye contact with me I immediately broke down.

"I. I'm sorry, Thorin" I gasped out, taking my arm out of Elrond's. I wanted to move towards Thorin but at the same time I was scared to.

Thorin was immediately taken aback. Confusion clear on his face.

"I think I will leave you to your conversation" I heard Elrond say before footsteps trailed in the opposite direction.

Thorin glared at the receding Elrond before turning back towards me. Once his attention was back on me I was overcome with the need to apologise again "I'm sorry. It was all my fault"

Thorin walked over to me, grabbing both of my shoulders. "Leah what do you mean?"

"It's fault he _died"_ I could barely get the word out "If, if it wasn't for he would be fine"

"Leah, you are speaking nonsense. Kili is _alive_ because of you" Thorin's voice was full of emotion "_You _saved him. My nephew, my own flesh and blood died before my eyes. But you brought him back. I owe you more than you could ever know"

Then Thorin was crushing me to him with a hug "Thank you" he whispered.

A sob broke through once more. He shouldn't be hugging me, he should be screaming at me.

"But in the story Kili was never harmed here. He died because I was there"

Thorin stood back so that he could look me in the eyes. "Nothing is written in stone, not even this 'story'. Things have already changed as we did not in fact get captured by trolls as you said we would. Your story is only one version of events that could happen. Thousands of changes could happen with or without you." he said "From what I saw, Kili died defending a member of _my_ company. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the filth that hunted us down. Do you understand?"

I stared at Thorin's face, dumbfounded. He was being sincere, he truly didn't blame me for what happened. Even after I told him I was responsible.

Maybe he was right.

I shouldn't be putting all the blame on myself. Even though my presence changed things, it was still the orcs that had caused it. Coming to this realisation felt like a weight was lifted off of my chest. I nodded to Thorin to show that I understood.

"Good" he breathed "Now I assume you want to see Kili"

oOo

Thorin led me over the bridge into another garden. He pointed down a different path and told me that that was where the rest of them were currently staying. They had been offered lodgings inside but most of the dwarves had refused. Prefering to band together. He told me that he and a few others had stayed in a room while Kili and I were seen to, though. I wonder if any of them visited me when I was unconscious. Then again they may not have been allowed to.

Thorin didn't take me down the path he pointed out. Instead he veered to the left. Around the corner there lay another garden-there are seriously so many gardens in this place I don't envy the gardeners-with a small river skirting around the side. At the end stood a white, stone gazebo. The surface had an orangey hue as the morning sun reflected off the surface. Standing in the middle were two silhouettes. As we got closer I realised who they were. Fili and Kili were in deep conversation with one another. So deep that they hadn't noticed our arrival. Kili's back was towards me so I was yet to see his face.

When we were close enough to see them I nearly froze. So overcome with emotion. He was here. Alive. Fili was the first one to notice Thorin and I. His eyes went wide when he saw me. Without hesitation, he bounded over and wrapped his arms around me. I was momentarily shocked, not expecting the hug. Then I wrapped my own arms around him.

"You have no idea how grateful I am, Leah" He mumbled into my ear. I could hear the emotion he was trying to hold back.

After a few more seconds he let go. I don't think it was by his own choice though; Thorin's hand was on Fili's shoulder. "How about we go and help Balin sort out supplies?" Thorin gestured with his head back down the path.

I realised then that he was letting Kili and I be alone together. Butterflies had worked themselves into a frenzy in my stomach. I'd still yet to look Kili in the face. Fili nodded to Thorin and stepped out of the way. Kili appeared from behind him. He looked the same as ever. No pale skin, no blood. His soft brown eyes-brimming with emotion-met mine. All breath seemed to leave me and my face crumpled.

"Kili"I whispered, voice cracking.

I was instantly moving, flinging myself into Kili's arms. If he wasn't a dwarf, with a low centre of gravity, we might have gone flying. But he caught me and grabbed me to him. I clung onto him so tightly. My knuckles went white as I clenched the material of his shirt. Tears were falling down my face and landing on his shirt.

"You're alive, you're alive" I said, more for myself than anything else.

Kili stepped back slightly and brought his hands up to my face. Being so close to him, the feeling of his heartbeat next to mine was nearly overwhelming. The bond binding us together seemed to increase in strength. I never wanted to be apart from him. Kili wiped a tear with the pad of his thumb.

"I'm alive because of you Leah" His eyes roamed my face, trying to drink me all in.

"I thought I'd lost you" the words were barely above a whisper. Memories of the pain I felt began bubbling back to the surface. I thought I would never see him again. The pain had been like a lance to the heart.

"I'm not going anywhere now" he smiled "You're stuck with me forever"

I laughed through the tears. My chest tightened with the words I wanted to say to him. The words I needed to say. I lifted my hand up so that it rested on his cheek. He leaned into the contact with no hesitation, his own hand covering mine. He was so beautiful, I felt my breath catch.

"I…" I began, nerves trying to get the better of me. Squashing them down, I persevered.

"I love you, Kili" a smile stretched across my face "I, I was scared that I wouldn't be able to tell you. But I love you. So so much"

Kili stopped breathing for a moment. Shock clear on his face. I could feel his heartbeat picking up alongside mine. Then his face broke out into the happiest smile I had ever seen. As if I had given him everything he ever wanted.

"I love you, Leah" he breathed "Menu tessu amrâlimê"

My heart exploded with his words. He loved me. He loved me back. I was overcome with the sudden urge to close the distance between us. To feel his lips on my own. I didn't have to wait long as Kili had leaned in before I had gotten the chance. His lips were soft against mine and I melted into the kiss. My hands moved to the back of his head as our lips moved together. Holding him to me, wanting to be as close as possible. Kissing him felt like nothing else I'd ever experienced. It felt right. It felt like coming home. Like my soul had been calling out for him. The bond was alive and flickering rapidly between us. Feeling Kili's heart next to mine seemed to amplify my own feelings.

When we broke apart I was breathless and more than a little giddy. It felt like I would never stop smiling. He leaned his forehead against my own and we stood there, breathing each other in.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that" he looked up at me with heated eyes.

"Maybe, we should do it again" I replied, leaning back in.

He was just as eager as I was as he grabbed my face and closed the rest of the distance.

_Finally a kiss when they're both sober Obviously I'm changing the canon up a bit. It doesn't say whether elf souls join together when they marry but it seems like something they would do. Elves are odd that way._


	21. I see my soul flying

I'm not really a big fan of this chapter. It feels really disjointed but I don't really know how to fix it.

We sat next to each other on a stone bench, still under the roof of the gazebo. The sun was now well and truly risen and I could see people starting to wander through Rivendell. Obviously we had to stop kissing at one point. We couldn't do it all day, no matter how much I would like to. Thorin was yet to return though so we still got some time to enjoy each other's company.

My hand was firmly in Kili's grasp. He was tracing patterns across the back of it with his other hand. He levelled me with an intense gaze, his pupils wide. Then he slowly brought me hand up to kiss face and kissed the back of it. The way he looked at me, mixed with the deliberate gesture, made my heart race.

And he knew it.

I could tell he had noticed because a smirk spread across his face. My stupid heart would always betray me when I got flustered now. It wasn't fair.

"Now I can tell exactly how much I affect you" He said with the self-satisfied grin still on his face.

Oh no I was not having him be all smug. Two can play at this game.

With a smile of my own, I leaned forward. His eyes widened as I approached. My lips brushed the top of his cheek. Just above his beard. It wasn't just a quick peck either. I let my lips linger there for a few seconds before leaning back. His heart reacted instantly, racing along with my own.

"It works both ways, Loser" I smiled.

"I guess it does"

I wasn't sure how much Kili knew about this new bond between us. It felt like a good time to discuss the ramifications of my actions.

"Soo, has anyone told you anything about this…" I motioned between the two of us "...thing between us"

"Er yeah, Gandalf told me" his eyebrows drew together and his tone was concerned "So if one of us dies then so will the other"

"Basically, yeah"

"Thorin was not impressed when he found out. He nearly banned me from continuing on with the quest" said Kili

"Seriously? What does that say about me? Does he think I'm going to get us both killed or something?"

"I think it was more the added danger. Instead of one person getting hurt it would be both of us" he mused "And maybe the fact that I had died earlier that day didn't help matters"

I screwed my eyes tight. I did not need to be reminded of that event.

"Did Gandalf also tell you that you're technically immortal now?" I said, wanting to change the subject.

Kili's eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open "He most certainly did not! What do you mean?" Kili's voice was incredulous.

"Yeah, Lord Elrond said that if none of us get killed then you will live as long as I do" I muttered "And seeing as I'm an elf…"

"I'm going to live as long as an elf!" he exclaimed. I couldn't tell whether he was happy about it or not. His tone was simply full of surprise more than anything. "This is a lot to take in"

"Tell me about it" I chuckled. He wasn't the only one to be surprised by sudden immortality after all.

Kili laughed too. It felt like we were in on our own private joke.

"Apparently dying is something we have in common" I said, looking down at our hands.

"What?"

"They told me that I'm from this world originally. The weird visions that I was having were actually memories coming back. I've always had nightmares about a monster hurting me but now I know that it actually happened. It wasn't just something my mind made up. At some point I was killed by an orc and my soul was sent to another world"

Kili squeezed my hand. "Gandalf told us that you were from Middle Earth but I didn't realise that that meant you had been killed here"

"Me and Mum I think"

"Ellen too?" said Kili

I nodded. Kili shook his head and mumbled something about orcs under his breath. Then I leaned down and rested my head against Kili's shoulder. He leaned in closer too, his cheek sitting on the top of my head. We lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching the city of Rivendell wake up around us.

Kili then looked down at our joined hands. He began tracing patterns there once more. His gaze seemed to be far away when I looked up at him. Then he reached into the pocket of his trousers and removed something. He kept it tight in his fist so that I couldn't see what it was. His heart rate had picked up as he did it. I sat up so that I could see him better.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you… for a while now." he started, a light pink dusted his cheeks. "I don't even know where to begin"

I let him take his time, though my stomach flipped in anticipation. He took a few deep breaths before looking back up at me. "I don't know about elves… or men… or people from your other world but dwarves have this… thing"

"Thing?"

"Let me finish" he said. There a smile on his face but he was clearly exasperated.

"Dwarves have this thing called a One...It's like the one person you are supposed to be with. You are made to be with this one person."

My breath caught in my throat. I knew what a One was. It was like the dwarven version of soul mates.

"...and I found out that you were mine" Kili looked like he was holding his breath. Waiting for me to say something.

I was his One.

My heart soared at the news. The flips my stomach was doing also seemed to increase. So not only were our souls now connected, they were also made for each other in the first place?

"Really?" I breathed, a smile stretching across my face.

"Yes, Leah. You are my One" The relief on his face was palpable, as if he was finally happy I knew.

A warm feeling spread across my chest when he said it.

"How do you 'find out' that someone is your One?" Did they just suddenly 'know'? Surely there was something that clued them in. A trigger of sorts.

An amused chuckle fell from Kili's mouth. He was looking at me as if he knew something that I didn't. "Er, a dwarf finds out someone is their One when they… kiss for the first time." Kili coughed "A feeling runs through you and you just _know_ that they are your One"

"Wait, what? You find out when you kiss?"

"Yes" his eyes were crinkled in clear amusement.

"But we literally only just kissed!" I sputtered "You said you had been wanting to tell me this for a while now. How is that possible?"

"Weeell, that wasn't actually our _first_ kiss." Kili divulged

"I think I'd remember if we'd kissed before!" I'd been wanting to kiss Kili for ages I wouldn't just forget something like that.

"You were very drunk at the time. I was carrying you back to your room because you could barely walk. Then you grabbed me and kissed me. I nearly dropped you" he laughed.

Oh. My. God. I was mortified. My cheeks had gone redder than they ever had before. I buried my face in my hands. Refusing to meet Kili's amused gaze. I remember the night he was talking about. When I had taken Kili dancing. He had been rather flustered the next day and I had thought it was because I had touched his hair. Turns out I had pretty much accosted the guy in the middle of the night.

"I'm so sorry" I mumbled into my hands.

I could feel Kili shaking with laughter next to me. "Why are you sorry, it was rather nice"

As I went to pull my hands away, I felt the string of my bracelet tap against my face. I turned my hand around so that I could look at it properly. The runes were still a mystery to me.

"I'm guessing this doesn't say penis then" I joked

"No it does not" his laughing had calmed down.

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. "It says amrâlimê, it means love of mine in khuzdul"

I gave Kili's shoulder a shove "I can't believe you didn't tell me. No wonder I got such strange looks from the other dwarves who saw it"

Mani had insinuated that I must have been 'very close' with the person who made the bracelet. Now I understood why.

"Technically" he elongated the word "This could be seen as a courting gift. Other dwarves would see it as such, mainly because it was handmade"

I gave Kili another shove. Nearly pushing him off the bench. I can't believe this boy. "You gave me a courting gift and didn't tell me! This whole time I've been wondering if you liked me the same way that I liked you and it turns out you asked me out ages ago" I breathed hard down my nose.

Kili's demeanor turned nervous, as if he was scared that I was angry with him. "I wanted to tell you. I was going to but then a lot of other things happened. Like me being sent back to Middle Earth for six months without you"

Touché

I couldn't really be angry with him. I was more exasperated than anything else. He wasn't the only one that had been too scared to air their feelings after all.

"I wanted to court you properly," he explained.

The way he said 'court' made me smile. It sounded like something from a classic romance novel.

"Certain people have made it difficult for me to actually ask you" I knew he meant Thorin. He was always eyeing us from across the camp, making sure we weren't alone together.

Kili extended his closed hand towards me. He unfurled his fingers to reveal it's contents. In his palm sat two identical beads. Like the ones the dwarves wore in their hair. Except these ones glowed with a strange ethereal quality. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Where did he get them from?

"When I died, I went to Mahals halls. It's where all dwarves go when they die… I saw my _Adad_" his voice broke slightly on the last word.

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't really thought about where Kili had gone when he died. The only thought I had was bringing him back. But Middle Earth had actual heavens for the people in this world. Did he really see his dad there? I can't imagine how that must have felt.

"He was exactly the same" Kili smiled though his eyes looked kind of misty "These are what he gave me before I left. They're courting beads you see. You where them to signify that you are courting one another"

I struggled to form words. His dad had given him courting beads for us. "Does this mean that your dad approves of me then?"

"I guess it does" Kili laughed

Kili then grabbed onto both of my hands and tilted his body so that he was facing me fully.

"Leah Orrison. Would you provide me the greatest honour of accepting this courting bead" His face was open and vulnerable, showing me everything he felt.

"Of course I accept"

oOo

The bead had to be braided into the others hair. Down the right side of the face. Kili made quick work of undoing my hair from its fishtail braid. His fingers were sure but I could tell that he was still nervous. His heart was beating as fast as mine.

A comb magically appeared in his hand, from one of his many pockets. He brushed through my hair until there was no tangles. Then he took a section of hair and began braiding. The braid extended to the entire length of my hair. Which was rather long now and reached my lower back. Kili finished the braid by clasping the bead to the end of it. The sight of the braid in my hair made my chest tighten with emotion.

Then it was my turn. I was a lot less confident in my braiding abilities than Kili was. Thankfully, Kili was good natured about it and didn't make me feel bad when I had to keep re-doing the braid. I wanted it to be perfect after all. Kili had to show me how to get the bead into his hair but once that was done we were sporting matching braids.

We both smiled brightly at each other. Then Kili came closer and kissed me once more. It made me breathless again. Experimentally I gave the bond a tug. Kili gasped and his eyes widened almost comically. It made me giggle.

Until he did the same back and the sensation shocked me.

After that we realised that we probably should return to the others. We couldn't stay in our secluded corner forever, as much as we wanted to. Kili led the way to where the rest of the dwarves were staying. They had taken up a pavilion for their campsite. They had officially made it their own as they had started to break the furniture for firewood.

The dwarves were very excited when they saw Kili and I make our way over. They came over and greeted me with happy faces. I got hugs from a few of them as well.

"Leah, it's good to see ye up and about" said Bofur "Ye were as floppy as a fish last time a saw ye"

He leaned in and gave me a hug. His hat hit me in the face as he did so. I didn't mind though and laughed it off. The dwarves could be very affectionate when they wanted to be.

When Bofur broke off the hug, his eyes zeroed in on my new braid. A triumphant grin spread across his face. "Oi Dwalin ye lost, pay up"

Dwalin grumbled something under his breath before tossing Bofur a small bag of coins. More bags began flying across the room from some of the others too.

"What is this all about?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

Bofur began counting his new winnings "We made bets about whether Kili would actually ask to court ye or not"

My cheeks warmed slightly. I can't believe they were betting behind my back.

"Dwalin why did you bet against me?!" Kili asked, affronted.

"Well ye've been pissing about for long enough, I thought ye'd carry on the same" Dwalin replied, unaffected by Kili being insulted.

Kili's cheeks turned pink and he grumbled something in Khuzdul. The other dwarves started laughing.

oOo

The dwarves caught me up on what had happened while I was in a mini coma. Apparently they had all banded together and refused dinner with the elves until I was better. That meant that they hadn't had the dinner with Elrond yet. They also told me about their frustrations. The elves had refused to let anyone see me while I was unconscious. Bifur nearly knocked the door down trying to see if I was okay. It was heartwarming, knowing that they cared about me.

I was sat crossed legged on the floor, next to Bilbo. He had looked up at me with astonishment when he first saw me. Like I was some kind of mystical creature rather than just Leah. He'd said that what I had done was the most amazing and powerful things he'd ever seen. I had gone a bit red when he said that; I didn't feel particularly powerful.

"So it turns out I'm actually from Middle Earth originally" I stated.

A few bemused faces turned towards me. So not everyone was told then.

"What do ye mean lass?" said Bofur from where he was lounging across a bench, pipe between his teeth.

"I was born here, died, got sent to another world and then came back" I said very matter-of-factly.

"Durin's beard! That's quite something, lass" said Bofur

"It means I can't be turned back human because technically I was an elf first anyway"

"That's a real shame lass" said Dwalin from the corner "Just when I was warming up to ye"

"Hey, I can't help it" I chuckled. Secretly, I was ecstatic that he said he was warming up to me. I'll befriend all these dwarves if its the last thing I do.

Thorin, Fili and Balin showed up after a little while. They had been sorting some supplies out. I'm surprised they actually were because I was certain Thorin had said it to Fili so that Kili and I could have some alone time. Apparently it was genuine. When they came back, I could tell by Thorin's face that he wasn't impressed with something. Turned out it was because we had all been invited to lunch with the elves. Thorin had wanted to decline the invitation but did not wish for Gandalf's wrath if he refused.

Lunch was to be eaten in a lovely, open courtyard. Tables had been found that would fit the dwarves shorter stature. That meant that they were all mismatched with different shapes and designs. Like a hipster cafe that was trying to be chic with no matching furniture. At the top stood a round table that looked like the only one that was supposed to be there. That was where Elrond was sitting. The elves were playing music around the courtyard to entertain us while we ate. Which I adored. Someone was even playing the harp,which is one of the coolest instruments ever.

Originally, I had intended to sit next to Kili. However, when I approached the table, I was called over by Elrond. I gave Kili a small smile and made my way over. His table consisted of Gandalf, Thorin and a blonde elf I'd never seen before

"Lady Leah, I would like you to join us," said Elrond "There is someone I wish to introduce you to"

I assumed he was talking about tall, blonde and mysterious. The only other seat available was next to the stranger so I sat down quickly.

Elrond motioned to the blonde stranger on his left "This here is Glorfindel. He has kindly volunteered to help tutor you with your healing abilities"

My eyes widened almost comically. Holy shit this is _the _Glorfindel. The elf that had killed Balrogs and come back from the dead. His powers were supposed to rival that of a Maiar. Like a demi-god. He was like the elf version of Hercules. If I remember correctly, he was the one who would heal Frodo when he was stabbed by the Witchking of Angmar. His healing abilities must be outstanding. And he wanted to teach me?

" you that would be amazing" I stuttered out.

Glorfindel gave me a blinding smile "I look forward to teaching you Lady Leah" he took a sip from his goblet "I've heard great things".

I tried to smile back but I could feel my cheeks warming. The attention made me nervous and I began to feel apprehensive about whatever 'lessons' I was going to have. What if I sucked?

Once the food started coming out I dug in straight away. Needing to keep my hands and mouth busy. The food was amazing. There may not have been any meat bt that did not mean that it was in any way bad. It was one of the best salads I'd ever eaten. With sundried tomatoes, olives and sharp cheese. It was heavenly. The dwarves however didn't seem to think so. I could hear their complaining from where I sat. It made me giggle. Could they not stomach a salad for one meal in their life?

Elrond kindly identified all of the swords for us. When he did Thorin turned to look at me. I could only guess at what the look meant but it seemed to acknowledging that I had been right. The swords were great weapons after all. It made up for nearly getting killed to get them.

After that the dinner descended into a free-for-all as Bofur decided to sing his own song and everyone else thought it was the perfect time to throw food around. I had to duck so that I wouldn't get hit by a flying bread roll. I'm pretty sure it was Fili that threw that one.

oOo

I was very nervous when it came to my first lesson with Glorfindel. He had sent a note to my room about where and when to meet him. However as I had no idea where anything was in this place I had to ask for help. Which came in the form of a very kind elf who had been tending to one of the gardens. They guided me through the maze of Rivendell and delivered me to where I needed to go. I suppressed a frown when they called me little one and patted me on the head.

The room was open on three sides. Bookshelves lined the back wall and a round table sat in the centre. Glorfindel was sitting at the table leafing through a book when I walked in. He smiled when he saw me and made to get up. Then he walked over to me and extended his hand towards me.

I had to crane my neck just so I could see his face. "Jesus christ you are tall" I blurted out without thinking. The guy had to be like 7ft tall.

"Or are you simply small" he said with a smirk.

I realised that his hand was still extended and I went to shake it. "I'm not that short"

"Says the elleth that barely comes up to my chest"

It was true but he didn't have to say it.

Glorfindel then guided me to the table and we both sat down. He sat across from me so that I was fully facing him.

"So how much do you know about these powers, my lady" said Glorfindel

I looked down at my hands "Absolutely nothing. They just sort of…" I made an explosion gesture with my hands "Do their own thing. I've not really had any control over it"

Glorfindel was listening intently "What experiences have you had with it so far?"

"Er well I brought someone back to life...so there's that" I said "But I also blasted a troll in the face and it turned to stone… and I think I burned someone" My eyebrows drew together "I thought these were supposed to be healing powers, why have they also done that?"

Glorfindel didn't look surprised by my confession. As if he was expecting it. "Yes that is to be expected. In its raw form the power you possess can be quite impressive. If the intention for healing is not there then the magic can react differently. Causing harm rather then stopping it. That is one of the reasons Lord Elrond has asked me to help you. You seem to possess a greater ability than most so it is imperative you learn to control it. Lest you hurt someone you wish to heal"

"I would like to avoid that" I murmured, the idea of accidentally hurting someone more was scary.

We started off by simply trying to get my magic to start at will. So far I've only been able to do it when I was under a lot of stress. I needed to be able to use the magic and stop it when I wanted it to. Not to let it overwhelm me like I had done with Kili. I couldn't put too much power into the healing or I would drain all my energy. Or hurt the person I was trying to help. So learning control was of the utmost importance.

"The power resides within you, always" Glorfindel explained "Usually it lays dormant until you need to use it. You need to draw the power out and into your hands" Glorfindel showed me his hands palm side up. After a few moments a pale glow began to emanate from them.

"Visualising it may help you bring out the magic. Close your eyes and place your hands on the table." Glorfindel motioned.

I did as he said, shifting slightly so that I was more in line with the table.

"Right now I need you to visualise a magical energy that sits in your core"

Frowning, I tried my best. What was it supposed to look like? Was I supposed to just imagine? If that's the case then I'm going to make it blue and sparkly. It was a little difficult to concentrate at first because the connection between Kili and I was distracting me. I could definitely feel that, which was making it hard for me to look for anything else.

In any case, I imagined there was a blue sparkly magic coiled inside my core. Moving around like a liquid. It felt a little silly at first, however, at one point I swear I could feel a vague electric-y sensation.

"Good, now I want you to imagine that magic travelling away from your core and down your arms. You need to pool the magic into your hands"

Easier said than done. I tried to imagine the magic moving down my arms, I could see it in my mind but I knew it wasn't actually happening in real life. The vibration of magic stayed resolutely in my stomach, refusing to move. It felt like there was a mental block of sorts. Maybe it was because I'd spent most of my life thinking that magic wasn't real. Some part of me was still skeptical, refusing to believe I could accomplish such a thing. The small doubt was stopping me from achieving anything.

Scrunching my eyes up, I began putting more effort in. Trying to push the magic where I wanted it to go. A slight tugging sensation had the magic lifting upwards. However, my excitement caused it to stop as soon as it started. For Fuck sake.

_I was sat on my bed. The sheets had been balled up so that I could sit in my own little nest. Only I was allowed in. In my nest sat a wooden horse and a cloth doll. They were my patients for the day. Nana had told me about her days as a healer and I wanted to be just like her. I'd seen her heal a few times. Like when I'd fallen from a tree and cut my knee. Her hands had glowed and then the cut was gone._

_The wooden horse had a 'broken leg' that I needed to fix. I felt the magic swirling in my belly. That was what I needed to use. If I concentrated hard enough I could make it move. The sensation made me giggle as it moved down my arms and into my hands. They glowed like nana's had._

_A triumphant grin spread across my face._

"_Healer Liriel at your service"_

I breathed in sharply through my nose as the memory washed over me. My mind was suddenly overcome with information that hadn't been there before. Just like with the horse riding, I suddenly knew exactly what I needed to do. The magic obeyed me readily as I encouraged it to move into my hands. It settled there and began vibrating with that strange energy again. A bright light was making its way in through my closed eyes.

I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands. They were glowing brightly and felt rather warm. They also tingled as the magic concentrated in one spot.

"Excellent work" said Glorfindel.

I beamed at his praise.

We spent the next half an hour making sure I could repeat the process again and again. Turning it off was easier than turning it back on again. Soon, I got the knack of it though and was glowing with the best of them. I was so proud of myself. I'd done actual magic, how cool is that?

Over the course of two weeks Glorfindel taught me the intricacies of healing a wound. My magic had to find the illness and reverse its effects. He gave me dying plants to test out my skills. On the first one I had put too much magic into it and the poor plant had burned. After a few more though I got the hang of it. My magic could feel where the plants were wilting and would give them the push they needed to spring back to full health. Sometimes the plant would bloom larger than it had before. Bigger plants required more energy from me but I didn't pass out like I had with Kili.

When Glorfindel was more confident in my abilities, the madman had taken a dagger and cut a line across the back of his arm. A red line of blood oozed out from the wound. He didn't even seem fazed by it and simply told me it heal the cut. I may have freaked out a little. It's not everyday someone thrusts a bleeding wound in your face and tells you to heal it.

Gingerly, I took his arm into my hands and willed power into them. My magic sunk under his skin. It felt weirdly invasive but I persevered. The light travelled up his arm towards the cut. I could feel his tendons and bones, muscles and arteries. It could get overwhelming if I didn't concentrate. I directed the light towards the damaged skin. The wound glowed slightly but it didn't have enough energy to reseal. Gritting my teeth, I gave it a little more. Then the blood stopped trickling out and the skin knit back together.

I was a little breathless when I finished. Using more energy than I had done before. His arm was as good as new. Smiling, I looked up at Glorfindel. Hoping he was proud of me. Thankfully he was and clapped me on the shoulder. It felt good to do something right.

oOo

We had to stay in Rivendell until the moonlight was exactly right so that the map could be read. It had been two weeks since we arrived and Lord Elrond said that it was time. However we obviously had to wait until night fell. Which left Thorin very restless. He kept pacing with his arms crossed. Grumbling under his breath and glaring at any elf he saw. He really wasn't a fan of elves.

"Pacing won't make the time go any faster, Thorin" said Balin, from the chair he was perched in. He had a monocle and was leafing through documents.

Thorin stopped moving and brought his arms down "I'm not pacing, I'm walking" he said, defensively.

"Walking usually means ye end up in a different place than ye started" Balin said, raising his eyebrows.

"Thank you for the helpful definition, Balin" Thorin grumbled sarcastically.

Thorin then turned and wandered further into the garden. Away from where everyone else was sitting. He looked like he was about to resume his pacing when he was interrupted by a very excitable hobbit bounding into the garden. Bilbo nearly collided with Thorin but managed to stop himself in time. A red blush spread across his cheeks but he was still smiling.

"Look what I found" said Bilbo, extending his hand so that Thorin could see.

A flower was held delicately in his grasp. It's petals were a deep orange and pointed outwards. "It's a fire lily!" Bilbo exclaimed, "They're exceptionally rare, I've never actually seen one. I remember Old Tom Brandybuck saying that he had one but we all knew that he'd just painted over the petals of his regular lilies. It's a shame because they wilted nearly straight away"

"I..I see" said Thorin, momentarily taken aback. His eyes never left the flower outstretched towards him.

Bilbo continued on, too excited to noticing Thorin's reaction. "I saw some elves tending the gardens and went over to ask for some tips. Then I saw these and I was amazed. Before I even asked they let me take one. Told me I could take the seeds for my own garden"

"That's... very… _nice_ of them." Thorin said, before taking a step backwards "Excuse me, Master Burglar"

Thorin then turned and left the garden completely. Leaving a very confused Bilbo in his wake. "Did I say something wrong?" said Bilbo, self-consciously.

"No Master Baggins, he's just a little tense with dealing with the elves. Probably went to clear his head" said Balin. Though there was a look in his eye that suggested he wasn't being entirely truthful.

Bilbo didn't see that though and simply sighed with relief "Oh that's alright then"

I could hear Kili trying to suppress a laugh next to me. His eyes were crinkled and his lips were pursed to stop himself from laughing out loud "What's so funny?" I asked quietly so that Bilbo wouldn't hear.

"Thorin getting flustered" he giggled. Fili next to him was also having a difficult time containing a smile.

"Flustered?" that's one word for it "But why would he be flustered?"

"Bilbo offered him a flower" said Fili. He said it in such a way as if I should immediately understand the significance.

At my blank look Kili stepped in. "In dwarven customs, people sometimes offer flowers as a way to ask you to court them"

"I see"

So Thorin got all flustered because he thought Bilbo was asking him out? He must have known that it wasn't Bilbo's intention. Yet he was still aback by the presence of the flower.

With a start, I realised that this situation shared a lot of similarities with another. "Wait, I gave you an origami flower. Are you telling me that I accidentally asked you to court me?"

"Yes you did actually" Kili laughed "I was rather shocked when it happened"

My cheeks went red "I can't believe it," I muttered "No wonder you started blushing"

Fili started laughing. "Was he like some blushing dam?"

"No. Shut up Fili" Kili punched his brother in the arm but it only made him laugh harder

oOo

Night fell and they finally left to go see Lord Elrond. I had Kili escort me back to my room. As much as I liked the dwarves company I was not giving up a bed for them. Not when I wouldn't get to sleep on a mattress for god knows how long after we left. The only downside was that I wouldn't be able to be close to Kili at night. Sometimes he'd stay and talk to me for a little while. I could tell that he wanted to stay but I knew that someone would tan his hide if he did. In this world courting couples were supposed to have chaperones. So that nothing 'unbecoming' should occur between the two. The only reason I'd managed to be alone with Kili now, was because Thorin and Balin had gone to the meeting. No one else was around to reprimand us.

The door to my room appeared around the corner. When we got to the door Kili gave my hand-that he had been holding- a squeeze. I turned towards him with a loving smile.

"Thank you for escorting me, good sir," I said.

"You are welcome, my lady" he grinned.

There was a brief silence as we both didn't want him to go. Kili raised my hand and kissed the back of it. "Goodnight Leah"

I needed a better goodbye kiss than that. My eyes flicked down to Kili's lips. A grin spread across his face when he saw where I was looking. I didn't wait for him this time, instead I dove straight in and kissed him. It was only supposed to be a quick peck but my body had other ideas. The kiss deepened and I made a small noise at the back of my throat. My back hit the door and I gasped into Kili's mouth. I felt his lips pull into a grin.

A sudden sound of footsteps arose from somewhere to our left and I quickly separated from Kili. He hadn't heard the sound yet and looked a little put out by me moving away. Then he heard it too and jumped back a little. Smoothing out his shirt. The intruder turned out to be an elf woman making her way through the building. She gave us a quick smile before continuing on. When she left, we both descending into giggles. It made me feel like a highschooler again. Getting caught doing something you're not supposed to.

"I should probably say goodnight" I said, quietly

"Goodnight Leah" his lips ghosted over mine once more. This time he leaned back before it could escalate.

Then he finally turned to leave. I stayed until he was completely out of sight before making my way inside. A smile spread across my face. I truly loved him so much.

The bed was looking very inviting. I'd exerted a lot of energy during my lesson today. My muscles long for me to lie down. That's why I'd asked Kili to bring me back to my room so early. A nightdress was laid out for me across my bed. I went to remove my clothes and put them on.

"_Hello my dear"_

Sweet Jesus! I made a strange squeaking noise. My hands quickly dropped my dress back down. What the fuck was that?

"_Do not be afraid. I simply wish to talk"_

It took me a second to realise that the voice was coming from my own head. That's not creepy at all. The only person I knew with those powers was Lady Galadriel.

"_That would be correct" _her voice seemed amused.

I wasn't amused, she'd interrupted me getting dressed.

"_There is a garden. I would be grateful if you met me there"_

Suddenly the path to a garden rose up in my mind. Even though I'd never been there, I now knew how to get to it. It was like she had bluetoothed me a map straight into my head. The feeling was rather eerie.

Even though Lady Galadriel framed it like I had a choice in the matter I knew that there was no way that I would refuse her summons. Hurriedly, I left my room and made my way towards the mystery garden. My internal gps would ping occasionally and point me in the right direction. The moon was large and bright above me. That meant that the path was lit up at least.

I knew I had found the correct garden because the person residing in it seemed to glow. Her beauty was ethereal. It definitely screamed Lady Galadriel. She smiled kindly when she saw me. It took my breath away for a second.

"Hello" I said, meekly

"Mae govannen, my dear." she said, her voice was like a song "Mithrandir has been telling me all about you. I thought it best to meet you for myself"

She looked at me as if she could see straight through to my soul. Then again, she could. "You are quite the mystery, it seems. Secreted away into another world only to return once more"

"It's a little hard to get my head around really" I laughed nervously.

"I can imagine"

"Is, is there anything I can help you with?" I had no idea why she even wanted to see me in the first place.

"That remains to be seen," she said "Though there may be something I can help you with"

She turned and began walking towards something in the centre of the garden. I followed along behind her. There was a stone circle in the middle of the grass. It looked like some kind of well. However, once I got closer I could see that it was more like a birdbath. With a shallow bowl in the centre. It was like the one frodo looked into in lord of the rings.

"You've seen one before. From your other world"

"Sort of yeah" Her mind reading ability was rather unnerving

Galadriel lifted up a silver jug from the side of the basin. "Mithrandir tells me that you are struggling to recall your first life here"

"I've only had little snippets," I said.

She poured water out of the jug and into the basin below. The water glistened under the starlight. "This may help provide you with some answers. Though it is never exact it may illuminate parts of your past"

She brought me here so she could help me remember my past? That was very nice of her.

The ripples on the water began to dissipate and the surface became smooth, like glass. I could see myself reflected in the surface. Nothing happened to begin with and then an image began bubbling to the surface. It appeared to be ruins. A darkness encapsulated the whole area, suffocating everything below. A small being appeared around a corner. It's hair was so matted and tangled you could hardly see its face. It was a dwarf, I realised. A half-crazed, very scared dwarf. They wandered through the ruins, always looking behind them. A hand braced against the wall and I could see that they were missing a finger.

With a gasp I realised who I was seeing. This wasn't my past, this was Thrain. Thorin's father. Quickly, I looked up to Galadriel. I knew why it had showed me Thrain. It was because Galadriel was one of the few people who could actually help him. She would go to Dol Guldur to save Gandalf. Maybe she could save Thrain too.

She raised a delicate eyebrow at me. "Thrain is alive" I blurted out.

Her face became intrigued. "He is?"

"He was taken prisoner and kept in Dol guldur" I rambled "There's going to be a time when you could help him. If you can, please, would you try. He doesn't deserve to be kept there"

"What reason would I have to go to such a place?" she said

"I, I don't think I can say. I don't want to accidentally change something for the worse"

Her face was impassive as she looked at me. I couldn't tell what she was feeling. "Usually it is I who provides cryptic clues about the future. It is rather a strange feeling to be on the receiving end of it" she smiled at me.

"It was good to meet you, my dear," she said, taking a step backwards "You should continue to look into the basin, it may still provide you with more answers"

Then she turned and left. It was more like gliding than walking really. I was left feeling quite lost and rather puzzled. That was one of the strangest encounters I've had. The garden also seemed to be darker with her gone. The increase in shadows made me feel nervous. Steeling my nerves, I made myself look back into the water. It took a second before I could clearly see the scene unfolding before me.

_It was my mum. Her hair was tied back into a simple yet practical braid that fell down her back. The point of her ears could be seen as her hair was tucked behind them. It was a simple dress she was wearing, a light grey in colour. Specks of blood seemed to be covering the surface._

"_Put him over there" She said, her voice commanding and in control._

_An elf was carried over to her on a stretcher of some sort. They were placed on a table in front of my mum. The occupant made a pained noise at being moved. _I recognised the person on the table and I felt my throat tighten. _It was dad. Injured but alive. There were bruises across his body and his leg was bent at the wrong angle. He must have been in some kind of fight._

_Despite his injuries he still had a smile on his face. "I don't see what the problem is, I'm perfectly Fi-AHH" his voice was cut off as my mum touched his injured leg._

"_Oh yes, perfectly fine. Other than the fact that your leg is broken in two places" my mum chastised him._

"_I need to get back out there, Adar needs me" Dad implored, trying to get back up_

_Mum wasn't having any of it and pushed him back. Not lightly either. Dad hit the table with a pained gasp. "You are not going anywhere"_

"_Do you know who I am?" my dad grinned at my mum. Obviously not deterred by her commanding aura._

"_Of course," she said, looking him directly in the eye "You're my patient"_

_My dad laughed again, it was cut off when she prodded his leg once more._

_~Change~_

_My dad was no longer lying injured on a hospital bed. He was decked out in regal attire. The fabric was silver, like the stars he was under. He was looking down at someone with such love in his eyes._

"_Elinneth" he breathed_

_My mum's face appeared, looking up at dad. "Yes, Melamin"_

_He brought his hands to her face. "Marry me"_

"_Is that a statement or a question?" mum quirked an eyebrow._

"_Depends on your answer" Dad's eyes never left mums face. He acted nonchalant but you could tell he was waiting with bated breath._

_Mum smiled up at my dad. It was the happiest I'd ever seen her. "Of course I'll marry you"_

_~Change~_

_Mum was dressed in a long, lacey, white gown. She even seemed to glow. A crown of flowers was balanced delicately on her head. Dad had a crown of his own. His outfit was equally as extravagant, with silver embellishments down the middle and along the sleeves of his robe. They held each other's hands. A beautiful silver ring rested on the index finger of their left hands._

_~Change~_

_Dad's hand rested on my mum's stomach. His face depicted pure adoration._

"_I'm going to be an Adar"_

_~Change~_

_Mum was resting on a large, ornate, four-poster bed. She was propped up by many pillows. Her face was pale and a light sheen of sweat coated her forehead. Her eyes were struggling to stay open. She was clearly exhausted. However, she seemed to be fighting it. Her gaze was drawn to a cot beside her. Inside lay two bundles. Babies, swaddled in blankets. _Me and Lachlan, I realised. Or whatever Lachlan was called in this world.

_We were lying next to one another. One was blissfully sleeping while the other was wriggling and looking around. Mum was singing softly to us. A lullaby. _The tune tugged on my mind and I found that I could recall it.

_An Elven-maid there was of old,_

_A shining star by day:_

_Her mantle white was hemmed with gold,_

_Her shoes of silver-grey._

_A star was bound upon her brows,_

_A light was on her hair_

_As sun upon the golden boughs_

_In Lórien the fair._

_A pair of hands reached into the cot and brought out the baby that was awake. "Hello, tithien vin. Do you like your naneth's singing?" said my dad._

_Mum looked up at him and blinked tiredly. Yet she still smiled and continued singing. The bundle in his arms continued to wriggle. "I think this one will love all things musical. Perhaps we should give her a name to match" he mused._

"_Liriel" my mum whispered._

"_Yes, it's perfect" Dad reached out a finger and little me grasped it in a tiny fist. "Liriel"_

_~Change~_

_Scenes blew past and I only caught glimpses of them. Most of them were of Lachlan and I as we were growing up. Seeing him again, so happy, made my throat tighten once more. I didn't realise I was crying until droplets disturbed the water surface. Quickly, I wiped the tears away. Scared that the memories would disappear if the water moved more. we were happy children. Learning to dance or ride a horse or fire an arrow._

~Change~

_The scene settled once more. Lachlan and I were nearly identical despite being a boy and a girl. It took a second for me to realise that it was me in the scene. I was kneeling down in a patch of dirt. Looking very sadly at a dying plant. The leaves had shrivelled and gone brown. Little me reached out and placed her hands on the ground, either side of the plants. For a second I simply stared intently at the plant. Then my hands began to glow, light seeping into the surrounding soil. The plant burst back to life, bright and green._

_Little me smiled ecstatically. "Nana, look what I did!"_

_Mum was behind me, surveying other parts of the garden. She turned when she heard me call. "Wow, that's amazing, darling. How did you do that?" her astonishment was genuine as she looked down at me. _

_~Change~_

_There was a garden, teeming with life. It was an explosion of colour as flowers of all shades bloomed. There was no order to it. No neat little rows for the plants to fit in. Instead plants just sprung up from wherever. Like a child who had thrown plants together willy nilly. It also seemed that that was exactly what had happened._

_Little me stared proudly at the towering plants before her. Dad came up behind me and lifted me up, making me giggle. He held me on his hip._

"_You see this garden" he said_

_I nodded._

"_You're magic flows through it now. So that means that it will bloom for as long as you live" he looked so proud of me._

"_It's going to live forever!" I exclaimed, happy as can be._

_~Change~_

"_We are going to visit Imladris. Are you excited?" Mum looked down on my brother and I. _

_We were both jumping up and down, looking like we were ready to burst "Yes!"_

_Mum helped us to get onto our horses. There was no need to share a horse as we apparently both knew how to ride by ourselves. A whole caravan of elves were coming with us. Some pulling carts ladened with supplies. We trotted along, through a thick forest. Staying close to where mum and dad were riding._

_I was too excited though, it seemed. My horse kept inching further and further away. "Liriel, we told you to stay close" my dad's voice sounded very irritated. It was obviously not the first time he had said it._

"_I want to ride at the front" I moaned "Please, Ada"_

"_I said no, you are to stay with us"_

_My lower lip stuck out in a pout._

"_I'll go with her. That way I can keep an eye on her" said my mum, trying to cheer me up._

"_Thank you nana!" I yelled, before pushing my horse into a gallop._

"_Liriel!" dad bellowed._

_Mum simply sighed and chased after me._

_~Change~_

_It looked like the same night. Mum had caught up to me on her horse and was chastising me. Lectoring me about safety. Little me at least had the decency to look sorry about it. _

_There were fewer riders near the front so mum and I were pretty much on our own. Both of us were happily riding along before a look of panic descended across mum's face. Before she could even react, a black arrow appeared out of nowhere. It landed deep within my horses neck. The horse collapsed below me, throwing me from the saddle._

"_LIRIEL!"_

_My childlike scream cut through the night as I fell. Mum's own horse reared up as she tried to get it to stop. In one smooth motion she flipped backwards off the horse so that she was on the ground. _

_More arrows were being shot at us. It was so dark it was like they were coming from the shadows. Then I saw them. Grotesque creatures with sharp teeth and talons. Orcs. Mum rushed towards me, taking a dagger out of her boot. It was only small but it was still deadly. She stabbed one in the head before it could get close to me._

_But there were more coming from all sides. Mum tried to fight them all but it was too much. Before she knew it an orc dagger was sticking out of her left side. _I covered my mouth and I felt a cry bubble up. I couldn't watch this. _A pained gasp fell from my mum as she saw the blade. Then she was dragged backwards by filthy talons._

"_RUN LIRIEL!" she cried, still fighting them off._

_Little me ran. And ran. And ran_

_And then my ever-repeating nightmare began to unfold. A stray orc had found me, grabbing me by my hair. I hit out at it with everything I had, catching it in the eye. It dropped me but it became more angry. A Knife flashed out and buried itself deep within my stomach. The orc laughed at my pain. The same laugh that haunted my dreams._

_I fell backwards onto the forest floor. Even bleeding out, I tried to crawl away. Though my energy was waning. "ADA!" I tried to scream but it came out as more of a whimper_

_The orc grinned, ready to pounce again. But it never got the chance as my dad came up behind it and ran it through with his sword. Dad pushed the orc aside and ran to me. His face was awash with pure fear and devastation._

"_Ada's here Liriel, stay with Ada" he cradled me to his chest, rocking me. "Stay with Ada"_

_I tried to speak but I couldn't, instead I only coughed up blood. Looking at my dad, my gaze slowly became more vacant. Until there was nothing left behind my eyes. I was dead._

"_No" it was barely above a whisper, "No, no, no. Liriel _please" _his voice broke on the last word and tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "My little girl"_

_Great heaving sobs were wracking his body as he cradled me._

"_M. My lord, it's your wife. She's…" came a voice from behind him._

_My dad was up straight away. Picking me up in his arms, he ran with me._

_~Change~_

_Mum lay broken on the ground. Just as my dad arrived, she gave a last shuddering breath. Before she too ceased to be._

_Immediately my dad sank to the ground. Dropping me in the process. An unholy scream bellowed out of my dad's mouth. It sounded as if he was being torn apart. One of his hands clutched the front of his shirt. Nails digging in so deep he was drawing blood. He braced himself against the ground as if he could barely keep himself upright._

_~Change~_

_Dad was on the floor of some room. His clothes were still covered in blood. His mouth was open, like he was silently screaming. "She's gone, where has she gone"_

"_My Lord," said a dark haired elf "She now resides in the halls of Mandos"_

"_ . !" my dad yelled through gritted teeth " . . She's gone. I cannot feel her"_

_The people around him all shared concerned looks with one another. Through the flap of a tent door I could see a small blonde head._

"_Ada" he said, so scared and uncertain._

"_Come, my boy" said a ginger elf "You should not see this"_

_~Change~_

"_He speaks truth" said an unknown elf "His Fea is in tatters"_

"_But why? What does this mean?" said another_

_~Change~_

_Dad stood in a garden. It was the same garden as before. Only now it reeked of decay. All the plants had shrivelled and died. Rotted from the inside out. None had survived. Leaving the garden as a desolate wasteland._

_Where once happiness had spread across his face, now only coldness and anger lay._

I stumbled back from the basin. Gasping. A wailing sound left my throat as I struggled to contain my tears. That was _awful. _Seeing my own death was too much, never mind everything else. I sunk to my knees. Struggling to breathe through the tears. The images of mum and I being murdered kept playing behind my eyes. They morphed from what I'd seen in the basin into real memories. Suddenly, I could recall every second that had happened on that dreaded night. Every scream, every pain.

I could feel my body trembling as I tried to shake the memories away. It was no good though. They soon became too much and I vomited into the grass. Bile burned my throat. The sickening feeling made me cry even harder.

I needed to run.

To get away.

Scrambling to my feet, I made a break for it. No direction, I simply ran. I had no idea where I was going. The unknown made me panic more. It was dark and there was no one around to help me. I wanted to curl up.

My panic was rising and I couldn't think logically anymore. I nearly let myself succumb to it. Before I could though, I felt an insistent tugging down the bond. The feeling made me gasp and shocked me out of my stupor. It was like someone throwing water at you when you're hysterical. The shock helps to bring you to your senses.

Kili tugged it again.

That's when I remembered that I could follow the connection. It would lead me to him. Then I wouldn't be alone in the dark. Quickly, I tried to locate the bond. Closing my eyes and concentrating harder. It seemed to run back the way I came.

I opened my eyes and rushed in the right direction.

As I got closer I could hear people shouting my name. "Leah!"

The voices were coming from below me. Down a stone staircase. I took the stairs two at a time so that I could be down them quicker.

Kili stood in the middle of a field, with his brother beside him. When he saw me his face sagged in relief. Until he saw the state I was in and was immediately concerned again. He rushed over to me and I fell into his arms.

"What happened, what's wrong?" Kili questioned, one hand cradled my head while the other held me to him.

I struggled to find the words. A sob rose up instead.

"Did the elves hurt you?" Said Fili, anger leaching into his voice.

" " I stuttered.

I felt Kili leading me away. He was taking me somewhere but I didn't pay attention to my surroundings. Only concentrating on him. When I heard a cacophony of voices, I realised that he had brought me back to the dwarves.

"Ye found her then"

"What's wrong with her"

"Are you okay?"

Kili sat me down on the ground. Following closely behind me. He held my hand tightly and I rested my head on his shoulder. With him close I started to feel calmer. I took several deep breaths and I could feel the tears begin to subside.

Thorin stood in front of me. His arms were crossed against his chest and he didn't look very impressed. "What happened? Kili told us that you were panicked. I'm not sure how he knew but he wanted us to check on you. Only when we did you were no longer in your room"

"I.I'm sorry" was he mad because I left without telling anyone. I'd left in too much of a hurry to write a note or anything. Not that I really expected anyone to go to my room.

"We're not mad at you we just want to know what happened" I heard Kili say.

I took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say.

"You met with the Lady Galadriel didn't you?" Gandalf was sitting across from us in a wooden chair.

I nodded

"Did she do something to ye?" Dwalin accused, contempt in his voice.

"No, no it wasn't her" I said in a small voice. "She wanted to help me. She found a way to show me some of my past"

"What did you see, my dear?" Gandalf's voice was sympathetic.

"I saw my mum die..." I sobbed, the image tried to worm its way back into the forefront of my mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. "...I saw how I died…We were both killed by orcs."

I heard sharp intakes of breath as I confessed. "Seeing it brought back the proper memory. Before it was just a vague nightmare. But now I can remember it so clearly. It's why I started panicking" I whispered.

Looking around I could see everyones shocked faces. Some held pity in their eyes while others held anger. Though I think it was more directed at orcs than at me.

"You're okay now, you're safe here" Kili reassured me, his voice was strained with emotion.

Now that I had calmed down, I realised that, in my panic, I'd overlooked the other memories. Only mum and I had been killed. Dad and Lachlan had survived here. They were alive! My chest tightened and I felt like I was going to start crying for a whole new reason. They were out there somewhere. I could see them again. An unrestrained happiness threatened to overcome my sadness.

However there was something that plagued me about the memories. When mum had died he had reacted so violently. As if he was being ripped in half. His scream still rang in my ears.

Then I recalled what Elrond had said about married elves. Their souls bind together. But if one dies they don't get ripped apart because their souls are a part of Arda. Always there.

"Gandalf?" I said

"Yes, my dear?"

"The water showed me that my dad is alive"

A smile spread across his face "Well that's wonderful news Leah"

"But I think something bad happened to him" Gandalf raised an eyebrow

"Elrond told me about how elves souls bind together when they marry" I said "He said that when one dies their souls remain intact because they don't leave Arda… But my mum did. She went to another world with me. When I saw my mum die he fell to the ground and screamed like he was in pain. And then he said that she was gone and he couldn't feel her"

Gandalf froze when he heard what I said. When he spoke he sounded very weary. "I hadn't thought of that. It's never happened before, but yes as your mother left this world she would have taken her half of their shared soul with her. I imagine your father felt like he was being torn apart. I can't imagine what that must be like. Not just the pain but the fact that he has lived this long with only half a soul. He could have been driven half mad"

My stomach clenched painfully. That was not what I needed to hear at all. Why couldn't I just stay happy? My dad and brother were alive, I should be singing from the rooftops. But it was overshadowed by the fact that my dad may have gone insane. What if he didn't even want to see me?

Some of the others tried to offer words of comfort to me. I smiled weakly at them, not knowing what to say in return.

A bone-weary tiredness rapidly began to spread through my body. I had been tired before, now with added panic attack on top I was left with very little energy. My body began to feel heavier and I struggled to keep my eyes open. I vaguely sensed someone picking me up and laying me down on a softer surface. Unconsciousness claimed me pretty quickly after that.

_Song of Nimrodel_

_Poor dad, losing his wife, daughter and half his soul in one day._


	22. I'm crying to the skies above

_Night had long since fallen. A chill swathed through the air. Autumn was definitely in full swing, wicking away the sweet warmth of summer. He knew he wasn't wearing the best attire for a midnight stroll. In fact he was in his bed clothes. Thin flowing trousers and a simple tunic. Thankfully, he had the mind to don his robe so others would not question him. Not that they ever would. He tightened his robe around him to try and stave off the cold. _

_He didn't want to be here. In fact he had originally outright refused to step foot near this place. _

_His son had ran to him. Out of breath and full of nervous energy._

"_Adar, I must speak with you" _

_He had been pouring over documents in his own quarters at the time. Even though he should have been sleeping at that hour, he couldn't bring himself to._

"_Is something wrong?" he had been immediately alert. Dropping the paper in his hand back onto the desk. He stood up and walked over to his son._

"_No, no. At least I don't think so" his son said hurriedly._

_He arched his brow waiting for his son to clarify. His son then looked to the ground, refusing to make eye contact. He was hiding something and he was nervous to speak it._

"_I, I was in the garden," his son said "Li. Liriel's garden"_

_For a second he felt like he could not breathe. A sharp pain spread across his chest when he heard that name. "You know it is forbidden" he said through gritted teeth. Gritted against the pain in his heart. He grabbed the desk to steady himself. Trying desperately not to show weakness in front of his son._

"_I know Adar but-"_

"_You should not have been there" he looked away, willing the ache to cease._

"_Adar… It's growing" his son's voice was full of astonishment._

_He froze. For a brief moment it felt like time was suspended, keeping him in that moment._

"_What?" he wheeled back to his son._

"_I saw it with my own two eyes. A plant has sprung up from the soil. The first one in over 1500 years." said his son "Let me take you there, I can show you"_

"_No!"_

_No he could not go there. He had refused to ever since he saw the death that lingered. His son could not be speaking the truth; nothing could grow in such a barren place. Not anymore._

"_No?"_

"_No, it cannot be. Nothing can grow there. Nothing can ever grow" his voice was cold._

_Hurt bloomed in his son's eyes "Do you not trust me Adar?"_

_Of course he trusted his son. He knew that his son believed in what he saw. "Of course I do"_

"_Then please, let me show you" His son was pouring his heart out to him, begging him to listen._

"_I cannot. I will not" It was his own fear, his own cowardice, that prevented him from following his son. He dare not risk the consequences of false hope. If he went and there was nothing he would fall once more. Fall back into that pit. The one he hung from everyday. Barely clinging onto the edge. He knew he would never surface, never break free of the yawning emptiness below. But he could hold on and maybe inch his way up little by little. It had taken so much to get him this far, falling again would be disastrous. _

_Disappointment had shone in his son's eyes as he left his chambers. He closed his eyes and clung desperately to the desk. In an attempt not to slide to the ground. He was not enough for his son, he knew this. But how could he ever hope to be enough for him when he was barely enough for himself._

_Weeks had passed and he had still refused to go. His son had thrown him pleading looks every now and again but he had pretended he had not seen them. What a terrible Adar he was._

_Tonight he had been lying in his bed. Sleep was only a distant dream as he lay there wide awake. The darkness was oppressive, bearing down on him from all sides. A sharp dagger of loneliness had rooted itself deep within his body. Out of desperation he had gotten up, flung a robe around him and left his chambers. He had not realised where he was walking until his bare feet had touched soft grass._

_When he had conceived of where he was he had frozen. Legs refusing to take him any further. _

_So close. He had already travelled so close to that dreaded garden._

_He could simply walk away. As if his body had never carried him here. _

_But that was a coward's way out. He had not realised how desperately he wanted his son to be right than in that moment. Standing mere metres away from the very place he swore he would never return to._

_It took so much effort. To take those steps. But he did it, he forged a path towards the wrought iron gates that once held his daughters beloved garden. The lock was no longer there. How long had his son been sneaking into there? And for what purpose, other than to despair at the cruelties of the world?_

_He closed his eyes as he pushed the gate open. Refusing to open them back up again at first. Until he had walked a few feet into the garden. His bare foot had brushed up against something. It was light and soft, like a young leaf. The feeling made him gasp and his eyes wretched open. His knees buckled beneath him at what he saw._

_It was not a desolate wasteland. Not anymore. His son had said that a single plant had grown from the barren ground. That was what he had been expecting. Not this. _

_The entire garden had regrown._

_Plants, healthy and green, stretched up towards the sky. So many flowers bloomed, even though they were no longer in season. Liriel's garden had been brought back to life._

_A chip of ice fell away and hope clawed its way into his long, frozen heart. It was so much more painful than the cold comfort of despair._

_A pained sob left his body before he could stop it._

_What did this mean? The Valar must know that he would do anything to see them again. To feel his beloved Elinneth once more. But he was painfully aware of the tattered edges of is damaged Fëa. She was not there. Why would they mock him by bringing the garden back but not them?_

_Was it supposed to be a comfort? Or was it simply a cruel punishment?_

_The sickness of hope would only poison his heart further, he knew. When it eventually withered away to nothing, he would still be empty and they would still be gone._

oOo

**Leah**

I was woken up by someone shaking my shoulder. The sun had barely risen, sending weak light across the valley. It took me a second to realise where I was. I was not in my bedroom that's for sure. Instead I was wrapped almost completely around a very amused Kili. A blush rose to my cheeks and I apologised. Quickly untangling myself from him.

I had had nightmares last night. You can probably guess what triggered them. When I woke from them I had latched onto the closest thing I could. Sleepy me had not realised that it had been Kili.

"We leave within the hour. So gather all your things" said Thorin from above me.

With alarm I realised that all of my things were still in my room. Had all my clothes even been returned to me yet? They had been sent to be cleaned at some point.

When I told this to Thorin he told me to go and retrieve what I could. He sent Fili and Kili along with me. Though if he wanted us to be sneaky I have no idea why he chose those two. As much as I loved the pair they couldn't sneak for shit.

In any case, the three of us quickly made our way to my room. We would often divert when we heard the sound of footsteps. Taking an alternate route. Though I knew deep down that the elves had already heard us. I had a feeling none of them really cared if we left. It was mainly Saruman that would freak out about it at the White council.

We made it to my room in plenty of time. No one was around so we just slipped straight in. Closing the door softly closed behind us. Only to come face-to-face with a smiling Rehtinde. All three of us froze in the doorway.

"Oh, er, hi" I waved.

What was she doing here? She had been coming around often to make sure I was okay but it was barely morning.

"Hello, young one" she said "I was growing concerned when you were not in your room"

"Er I was hanging out with the dwarves and must have fallen asleep down there" I said quickly.

Rey looked between the three of us, amusement in her eyes "I see"

Then she reached behind her and brought out my bag. "I was informed that you would be needing this"

The bag was full and neatly closed. I had a few ideas about who would have told her we were leaving. It rhymes with shmady faladriel. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realised that she wasn't going to reprimand us for leaving. This way I wouldn't have to make up some stupid lie about why I needed my things back.

"Thank you" I breathed, going over and taking the bag. It seemed slightly heavier than before.

Rey pointed towards the bed "There are some clothes here that might be more suited to travel" Then see cast a glance over to where Fili and Kili were standing "Though I suggest that the males in the room either vacate or turn around."

I followed her gaze and saw Fili and Kili with faces of varying degrees of shock. Either at the presence of Rey or about me changing clothes. I swear I saw a faint redness in their cheeks as they quickly spun around. They refused to leave the room but they would at least turn away, it seems.

I looked at the clothes Rey had picked out for me. A pair of trousers, which seemed more like leggings with how soft they were. Leaf patterns were sewn down the seams. Then there was a long green tunic with a belt to tie around the middle. I'd be able to attach my sword to it. Rey had also provided me with underwear, along with the elven equivalent of a sports bra. I'd been wearing them for the past two weeks and they were beyond comfy.

Gathering all of the garments, I went to change behind the screen. I knew that they wouldn't turn around but it would feel weird to get changed out in the open with so many people in the room. I made quick work of getting dressed. The clothes fit perfectly, I had a suspicious feeling that they had been made for me. How did they get my measurements? Or were they just really good at guessing?

The soft material was sturdy and would keep me warm as we journeyed up mountains. When I put the last garment on, Rey came behind the screen. In her hands were a pair of knee-high boots.

"These shoes will be more forgiving on your feet than the ones you came in. They are more flexible too, in case you need to climb anything" Rey said in a soft voice.

I was saddened to leave anything of mine behind. My mum had bought me those hiking boots years ago. I wouldn't be able to take them with me, they would be too heavy. But I also knew that anything elven made was going to be better than anything from my other world.

I accepted the boot graciously. Slipping them onto my feet. They hugged the curves of my calves. It might be a good place to store a small dagger.

"Thank you, Rey. For everything you've helped me with" I said.

She smiled kindly down at me. Then she opened her arms and brought me in for a surprise hug. "You are most welcome, young one." Then she let me go "Now promise me you will try to stay safe"

That would probably be difficult knowing where I was going "I'll try"

She bid me good luck as we left the room.

Once we were out of earshot Fili and Kili rounded on me.

"Who is she?"

"How did she know we were leaving?"

"Is she going to tell someone?"

I put a hand up gesturing for them to quiet down. "Her name is Rehtinde and she was my healer when I first arrived. She kept checking on me afterwards just to see if I was okay. And don't worry, no one is going to stop us from leaving"

"How can we trust her?" said Fili "She could go straight to her Lord and we'd be stuck here"

"Well you can trust me right?" Fili nodded "No one is going to stop us leaving okay. We'll be fine… Just probably don't tell Thorin. He'd freak out."

Fili and Kili still looked apprehensive but they didn't protest anymore.

When we made it back to the others, everyone had already packed up. They were waiting for us before so that they could go. There were a few raised eyebrows about my new outfit but no one said anything. Once we were all ready, Thorin began leading the way to the hidden path Gandalf had told us about. It would bring us back to the path we had been following before the troll incident.

When we got to the top of the valley, I looked back. I had been unconscious when we had first entered Rivendell. So this was the first time I was seeing the valley in all its glory. Sunlight glittered across the surface of the river and cast an orange glow onto the buildings. It was beautiful. One day I hope I would be able to see it again.

But first I had to deal with a dragon and a war.

oOo

The journey was a lot harder now that we no longer had ponies. If I still had my human body I would be a gelatinous blob on the ground by now. Even now my legs ached with the exertion. Bilbo was faring the worst. I could tell that he desperately wished to rest but he was determined not to slow us down. I would walk next to him and keep him company. We would share stories about home to keep our spirits up.

"Was there truly no other races in that other world?" he asked, quite breathless "Only men?"

"Yeah, only humans. No dwarves or elves or anything." I said "Though there were other species thousands of years ago. Like neanderthals and stuff. But they went extinct"

"What does extinct mean?" Bilbo panted.

"It means they don't exist anymore. They died out" I said

"Oh that's quite sad," said Bilbo, holding his chest as he breathed harder.

"We had hobbits, I think" I quipped "Or something similar at least"

There had been remains found in a cave somewhere- I'd forgotten where- but they'd found a bunch of skeletons that were about 3.5 ft tall. They weren't children skeletons either, they were fully grown. It made people speculate that they had been another subspecies of early human.

"Oh how wonderful" he said with a smile.

The path we were on was becoming increasingly steeper and a stream of water cascaded down the rocks. It made the way dangerously slippy in places. Bilbo stood on a rock to haul himself up. Only the rock wasn't as sturdy as he had thought and it jostled in the mud. The movement tripped Bilbo up and sent him sprawling backwards. I grabbed onto Bilbo's arm but it wasn't necessary.

Thorin had caught Bilbo underneath his arms. Trust fall style. He, not so gently, placed Bilbo back on his feet. "Keep up Master Baggins we don't need you _falling_ behind" said Thorin as he made his way forward.

"Obstinate dwarf" said Bilbo under his breath.

Thorin half turned "What was that Master Baggins?"

"I, I said thank you." said Bilbo quickly. "Thank you, Thorin"

Thorin simply hummed non committedly and started making his way to the front of the company. As soon as he was out of earshot, I let out a laugh. Bilbo also let out a nervous laugh next to me.

That first day had been grueling. Mainly because we hadn't done much moving for two weeks. We'd been a bit too sedentary. It also didn't help that we now had to carry all our supplies on our backs. When we finally decided to camp for the night everyone was groaning about something or other.

I set up my bedroll and plonked myself down. It felt good to sit. My bag thunked heavily against the ground as I peeled it off my back. Rolling my shoulder I felt a few cracks from my spine. The bag was definitely heavier than it had been. It made me curious. Swinging the bag around I placed it in between my legs. Then I undid the clips and opened it up. My eyebrows crinkled at what I saw on the top.

They were new.

Gingerly, I removed them from the bag. There were two of them. They were made out of thick leather and vaguely resembled a tube. Laces hung from the bottom and the top seemed to be reinforced with some kind of metal under the surface.

I had an idea of what they were but I couldn't be sure. "What are these?" I asked the person closest to me. That turned out to be Dori.

He looked down at me, puzzled for a moment, before recognition lit his eyes. "Oh those appear to be vambraces. They're a kind of armour that goes on your arms"

My inclination had been correct.

"Where did you get them from then?" said Nori from beside him "Have you been as light fingered as I have?" He wiggled his perfectly braided eyebrows at me

"No" I said with an amused grin "The elves must have given them to me"

"Oh 'given' were they? Don't worry your secret's safe with me." Nori tapped the side of his nose.

"Don't disgrace Lady Leah with your insinuations Nori. Not everyone is as criminally inclined as you are." Dori came to my defence.

"If you say so brother" said Nori, resuming to set up his own bedroll.

It turned out that Rey had also packed another piece of armour for me to wear. A leather bodice that would cover my torso. Having armour made me feel a lot safer. I was a bit of an idiot for not asking for some before this.

The bag also contained my old clothes as well as a new set of elven ones. My old underwear had disappeared though, leaving me with only the new ones. Goodbye deadpool pants, you served me well. I nearly cheered out loud when I came across my toiletries bag. It was now full with new soap. There was also a tub containing a weird green paste that I assumed was a kind of toothpaste. I'd been using what was left of my own while I was in Rivendell. A small pouch at the bottom of my bag contained some dried fruit and there were a couple of leaf covered packages. I'm going to assume it was lembas bread. I really wanted to try it, curious about the taste, but I knew that we would need it later.

Dwalin helped me to tie the armour on when I went to train with him. He made a comment about the sturdiness of the armour but refused to compliment it further. It was elven made after all. I looked badass, if I do say so myself. Fully embodying the elf warrior spirit. It was like the best cosplay ever. Before this the only Tolkien I had ever dressed up as was Bilbo. Maybe I'd tell him one day.

Dwalin put me through my paces once more. Now that we were back on the road he wasn't going easy on me. Fili and Kili kept me company as well. Though I think they were just looking for an excuse to spar with one another. I also made Bilbo join us. Now that he had his own sword he had no excuse. He wasn't the most impressed when I dragged him over.

Dwalin had his arms crossed and was looking particularly fierce. "So, Mister Baggins. What do ye know about sword fighting?"

"Oh well, I guess the general gist of it is to just sort of" Bilbo poked his sword forward "Jab at them"

"Stick em with the pointy end" I added, helpful as ever.

Dwalin gave me a 'look' suggesting that he wasn't impressed with my input. "Aye, that's the 'gist' of it. But do ye even know how to hold one?"

"Ah, that would be a no" Bilbo said looking down at his sword.

So the first thing Dwalin did was correct Bilbo's grip on his sword. Then he began the lesson.

"Having a longer sword does nae always mean that ye'll win a fight" said Dwalin

I heard Fili and Kili start giggling at the phrase 'longer sword'. Boys are the same in any world it seems. I shoved Fili with my shoulder as he was closest to me. He simply laughed harder.

Dwalin shut them down with a glare before he continued. "Longer swords" glare "require a longer swing which will take more time. Short swords are quicker"

"Also" he moved Bilbo's left hand off the pommel "As this is a smaller weapon ye can use it with one hand. Ye can use ye offhand to punch or block. If ye not using the other hand ye best keeping it close to ye chest. A cut down the inside o' ye arm can be deadly"

Bilbo held his arm very close to his chest as if just thinking it would cause his arm to be damaged. His eyes were wide as he was taking everything in.

Dwalin tried to give me harder tasks than Bilbo as I was slightly further along than he was. Bilbo didn't mind though. He was too busy concentrating on his own drills. Fili and Kili battled along beside us. Dwalin had to tell them to calm down more than once.

They should have taken heed of Dwalin's warnings because I heard a cry of pain come from one of them. All of us wheeled around to see what had happened. Blood was streaming from Fili's nostril. The bridge of his nose was now slightly crooked.

"What did a tell ye?" said Dwalin, clipping Fili and Kili around the head.

"It s'not my Bault, he caught me wiv 'is elbow" Fili held onto his nose and pointed to Kili accusingly. Blood was dripping down his chin and getting caught in his beard.

"That's only because you were trying to trip me up" argued Kili.

"I'll go and get Oin" said Bilbo before scampering off towards the centre of camp.

Looking down at my hands, I realised that we wouldn't need Oin. Perhaps it was my chance to show off my new skill set. A broken nose should be similar to a cut, right?

I approached Fili, nose wrinkling slightly at the blood dribbling down his face. It wasn't very pretty looking. "Do you want me to help?"

"A guess i' couldn' 'urt" said Fili, he had leaned his head back to try and prevent the blood from pouring.

"I mean it might" I joked.

I readied my magic first. Pooling it into the palms of my hands. The pale glow began to emanate from my hands. I heard at least one of the dwarves gasp. Then I brought my hands up to Fili's face. It was easier to heal if the point of contact was close to the wound. So I needed to put my hands close to his nose. But not too close. There was blood and it was gross. I'm not getting that on my hands.

Fili went cross eyed trying to look at my hands. I went for the sides of his head as they were blood free. When my fingers made contact, my magic snaked its way under his skin. With a little push, I willed it to go towards his nose. I could feel where the cartilage had been bent and where the blood vessels had burst. The cells began to reform and Fili's nose shifted back into place with an audible crack.

I removed my hands from his face and took a few deep breaths. The more I used my magic the easier it became. Soon I felt like I could heal simple cuts without even losing my breath.

Fili wrinkled his nose a few times. Moving it this way and that. "Would you look at that? Good as new" he said, though he was still covered in blood. "That really tickled you know?"

"Good, you idiot" I said

"It seems my services will not be needed" came a voice from behind me.

When I turned I saw Oin and Bilbo. Oin had his medical bag ready in his hand.

"Not today, no" I said, a proud smile was pulling at the corners of my mouth.

oOo

The movies made it seem instantaneous but, after a week of walking, the misty mountains lay stubbornly in the distance. It would probably take another week to get there. However, even though the misty mountains were far away, a mist had descended on our path. It was cold and wet. Not the most pleasant of additions to our journey.

Surprisingly, it was Bifur who was handling it the worst. I could hear him swearing in khuzdul. His hands straying to his head while he groaned in pain.

"Are you okay Bifur?" I asked, concerned.

Bifur spewed out a whole lot of khuzdul all at once. Bofur very kindly jumped in to help. "It's the cold, Lass. It's no good for his head. The axe gets cold and it gives him dreadful headaches"

Oh god that must be awful. Being in pain whenever it got cold. How long had he lived like this? Thoughts of Bifur lay heavily on my mind throughout the rest of the day.

When we set up camp a freezing drizzle began to fall. We managed to find some shelter under a rocky overhang but it didn't stop the chill. Everyone began setting up camp around me. Bifur sat on his own, tucked as close to the rock wall as he could get. Bofur was making light conversation with him but he was mainly focusing on setting up the fire. It would be difficult to do with all of the damp.

I made my over to Bifur and sat down next to him. The guy looked like he needed some comfort, or at least a warm fire. Unfortunately, I could not produce fire, so I settled for sitting close to him. He babbled along next to me, more talking to himself than anything. Bofur would occasionally reply to something he said.

Bifur's eyes squeezed together again and I realised that he was in pain. Reaching out I took his hand in mine and squeezed reassuringly. He looked at me and gave me a weak smile. Then he resumed his khuzdul rant.

No one was really paying me much attention. The only person who I could see looking in my direction was Kili. He smiled when he noticed me looking at him.

I looked back towards Bifur. Zeroing in on the axe in his head. That thing was the reason that he was in pain. It was also the reason for a lot of Bifurs frustrations. Could I... could I help him? I mean I had healing hands for crying out loud. That should be of some use, right?

Though I had never really done anything as complex as a head injury before. Well unless you count bringing Kili back from the dead but that had been an impulse thing. This would require a lot more precision.

I debated for a moment longer before deciding that I would be a bad friend if I didn't at least try. The magic moved down my arms with simply a thought. Getting easier and easier everyday. With a sweep of my eyes I noticed nobody looking my way. I don't know why I felt self-conscious about having an audience but I did. With the knowledge that no one was looking in my direction I pushed the magic into Bifur's hand.

Bifur didn't even react when I did it. Too preoccupied with whatever he was saying. As my hands were so far away from his head, I had to use more energy to push the magic up there. When my magic reached his head I nearly gasped. The feel of someone's brain below my magic was the strangest thing. Shaking off the shock, I got to work. I moved my magic to the front of Bifur's head. The axe was just _wrong. _His brain had tried to reform around it but it was in the way. No new connections could form while it was stuck there.

My breath came in short pants as I willed the surrounding brain tissue to reform. To push out the foreign object. I could feel it working. Millimetre by millimetre. Until…

"Ozodl b-bahd, I can't deal with this fucking weather Bofur I just can't"

The axe fell out of Bifur's forehead and landed on his lap.

I quickly let go of Bifur''s hand, releasing my hold on my magic. I tried to take deep breaths to steady myself. A tiredness burrowed down into my bones. That was the most power I'd used since I saved Kili. It was taking its toll.

Bofur whirled around with amazing speed. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. "Bi. Bifur yer axe" Bofur pointed.

Bifur was looking down at the axe in his lap. He picked it up tentatively confusion in his eyes. "I don't understand" his voice had the same irish-style lilt that Bofur's had. It was rather startling after hearing his more german like khuzdul accent.

"Yer speaking common" Whispered Bofur.

Then they both turned to me. My limbs were beginning to feel heavy. "It was you" said Bifur "You healed me"

"Yeah, I guess so" I said shyly.

Tears had formed in Bifur's eyes and he looked at me with such wonder and amazement. A watery smile spread across his face. Then he leaned over and wrapped me into a crushing hug. I would have returned the gesture if my arms didn't feel like jelly.

"I feel like I can think straight for the first time in 60 years" he mumbled into my shoulder "Thank ye, thank ye, thank ye"

When Bifur let me go I realised that everyone else had now noticed. A mixture of astonished and ecstatic faces.

"I owe ye a debt, Lass. Name ye price I'll give ye anything" said Bifur

"You don't owe me anything Bifur" I shook my head, my eyes closing sleepily for a few moments before I opened them back up again.

A pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. "I think you need to rest, amrâlimê" said Kili softly. I was inclined to agree.

People had begun to crowd around Bifur. Saying words of encouragement and amazement. I let Kili lead me away from the crowd. He had to half carry me as all I wanted to do was lie down. Kili helped me down onto a bedroll. I assume it was mine but who knows. I lay my head against Kili's chest as he leaned against the rock wall. His heartbeat was a comfort. It would lull me to sleep if I stopped fighting it.

"I can't believe you did that. Well I can actually. You're amazing Leah" Kili said, his voice sounded deeper with my ear against his chest.

"I am pretty cool" I said jokingly.

"I'm serious" Kili said "You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met"

I smiled into his shirt. His hand moved a strand of hair out of my face and behind my ear. The skin tingled where he brushed it. "Sleep Leah. I'll wake you when there's food"

"You better" I mumbled "I'm starving"

oOo

The misty mountains were...miserable, for lack of a better word. Cold and wet. The rocks below us were often slick and we had to catch ourselves to stop from falling. Climbing was hard work and we had to take many breaks to conserve our strength. We would have to help lift each other over difficult ledges as the path became more treacherous.

I told them that that they had to keep an eye out for goblins as they made their home in the mountains. Everyone took my words as truth thankfully and kept a wary eye out. Each night we would try and find a cave to rest in. I would always search thoroughly for any kind of cracks in the walls or floor before I would let myself settle down. This mountain had me constantly on edge.

Kili, thankfully, was always there to lean on. Sometimes literally as passed through some tricky obstacles. I slept close to him at night. Other than the occasional look the older dwarves seemed okay with it. I guess dying has its privileges if they were letting Kili have some slack.

Kili was still a cuddler. That had remained the same from the first time we'd slept next to each other. I'd often wake to his arm tightly wrapped me. His tremendous body heat would help to stave off the cold. Dwarves seemed to run hot.

This particular day I swear I never saw the sun. The clouds were so thick and dark it was like night had never lifted. Torrential rain attacked us from all sides. We had to cling to the side of the mountain to stop ourselves from falling. I had a bad feeling about this weather. It could be an indicator of that dreaded thunder battle between the mountain giant things. But there was no way of knowing. It could rain like this for days.

The only way you could tell that night had fallen was because the vague light we had before had vanished. Only the light of the cracks of lightning illuminated our way. Well the lightning and my glowy hands. I had to be near the front so that I could help to light the path. Which was not something that I was very happy about. I'd prefer to be somewhere nearer the middle but I knew that I was needed elsewhere.

The near constant flow of magic would tire me out eventually. Thankfully It didn't take much to simply hold it in my hands. I could hold it there for a considerable amount of time.

Even with my magic though it was still difficult to see. The rain was almost blinding.

"LOOK OUT!" yelled Dwalin.

That's when I saw the huge boulder-the size of a house-careening towards. My first instinct told me to freeze. The fear binding my muscles. It was only the shouts of the others that drove me to throw myself against the wall. Covering my head with my hands. Sharp chunks of rock rained down on us. I let out a scream as a particularly heavy one landed between my shoulder blades. My bag must have slipped down as I crouched otherwise it would have cushioned the blow. It knocked the wind out of me and I fell out of my crouch. I caught myself with my hands before I could slip over the edge.

"WE NEED SHELTER" I heard someone shout, I think it was Thorin but my ears were ringing.

I clambered unsteadily to my feet. Shaking bits of rock from my clothes. My arms were incredibly shaky and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. The light had sputtered out when I got hit so I made a conscious effort to light them back up. People flinched back from the brightness.

"This is no thunderstorm, it's a thunder battle!"

In the distance the lumbering form of a mountain shifted. With great crashes the whole rock face moved until a humanoid shape stood tall. Its size was unfathomable. Like a skyscraper had suddenly sprung legs.

And it was angry.

It launched another attack on the same mountain we were standing on. We didn't have to be told to run. Rock projectiles rained down on us and we had to dodge out of the way. Gloin, behind me, pulled me out of the way of a particularly nasty one.

It seemed like we would be able to make it across. That was until the path beneath us shifted. My stomach dropped like I was on a rollercoaster and the entire mountain tipped forward.

We were on one of the giants!

Fuck, why did I forget that would happen?

A gap yawned in front of us where the path had previously been. We needed to jump. Thorin jumped across first. His foot almost slipped but he caught himself in time. Then the rest of us made an attempt. I waited until it was nearly level. Bounding a few steps, I launched myself across the gap. My legs had more power than I thought and I crashed into the wall.

Only half of the company made it across before the giant moved too far away. Blood froze in my veins as I saw Kili among them.

The giant started stomping its way in front of us and I could almost reach the people on its leg. But it moved too fast. Gloin pulled me back once more as a wall of rock moved passed where my arm had been.

We still needed to move. Thorin pushed on, chasing after where the other company members had been taken. I tried to follow.

Only for a giant's fist to crash down into the path ahead of me. A mere metre away. The sheer speed and power of the blow took all the air from my body. It pulverized the rock beneath it. Deep cracks spread outwards from the fist, running underneath my feet. I hugged the back of the wall as the path began to fall into the void. Gloin scrambled next to me, barely hanging on to the side.

We probably would have been safe if the giant didn't pull his fist back up. The force of it destroyed the remaining path below us. My eyes made contact with Thorin's before the rock beneath my feet completely disappeared.

Gloin and I fell.

Screaming into the void below.

_Thunder battles suck ass to write. That's why it was so short lol.__  
__Ozodl b'badh- Vile Breeze_


	23. But I'm trying to survive

I would not recommend falling to your death.

It was the single most terrifying moment of my life. Well, one of them at least. I'd had a fair few near-death encounters. Wind rushed up below me where the ground should have been. Uncontrollable screams ripped their way out of my throat. Burning as they left. My stomach felt like it was trying to escape out of the top of my ribcage. Arms and legs flailed trying to find purchase on anything. Instead they collided harshly with the rock face. Shooting pain ran up them.

I couldn't see below me. The darkness was too pervasive. That's why it was a surprise when a ledge suddenly sprang up below me. I smashed into the unforgiven rock feet first. My ankle bending in the wrong direction. Sharp, burning pain lacerated it's way up my legs and I couldn't breathe. When I finally managed to gulp down a breath of air a howl of pain left me. Lights were still flashing and I was completely disoriented. The pounding in my head was so loud it drowned out anything else. All I could do was scream at the pain lancing through me.

I needed to move. Needed to think.

Gritting through the pain I hauled myself into a sitting position. Only to realise how close to the edge I was. Fear made me scramble backwards. My right ankle screamed in protest but I managed it. I didn't stop moving until my back hit the wall.

Had I broken my ankle?

With as much confidence as I could muster, I tried to move my toes. I gasped in pain but I managed it. Not broken then. It must only be badly bruised. I was incredibly lucky. If I wasn't an elf I think both of my legs would have been shattered on impact.

The sound of battle faded into silence. As quickly as it had started it had finished again. Looking up, I tried to see where we had fallen from. The mountain sprawled high above me and I could not see where the others were. Had they gotten to safety? Kili's terrified heart beat pulsed in time with mine so I at least knew he was alive. It only brought a small comfort as alive didn't always mean safe. I was evidence of that, as I was alive but stuck hundreds of metres down. There was no hope for climbing back up again. Nausea rose up at the thought of being stranded alone on a mountain.

A faint groan rumbled below me.

Shit, I wasn't alone. Gloin had fallen alongside me. He wasn't on the small ledge that I was on though. His pained moans were coming from somewhere underneath.

Using the wall as leverage, I dragged myself into a semi-standing state. The pain in my ankle pulsed below me. Though, thankfully, after the initial pain it had dulled slightly. Enough so that I could move it without crying. I sidled along the edge of the wall until I could peer into the space below. Another ledge sprawled out about 5ft down. A half-conscious Gloin lay in the centre of it.

"Gloin, are you okay?!" I shouted.

All I heard was groans in return. I needed to get down to him. To heal him. I sat down on the edge, legs dangling below me. If I lowered myself down slowly it hopefully wouldn't hurt too badly. Rolling onto my stomach, I began pushing my way slowly off the ledge. My hands reached out to what they could to keep balance. It was going well and I felt my left toes brushing against the ground. Then the rock I'd been holding on to cracked under my weight and I fell the rest of the way. It wasn't a big drop but it was enough to take my legs from underneath me. My ankle burned angrily.

Tears sprung up in my eyes. I forced my breath out in deep pants to try and refocus. Gloin lay across from me. Nothing seemed to be broken but he had a lot of cuts and a particularly nasty gash on his head.

I should probably start with that one.

Willing the magic into my hands was a lot harder than before. I had to fight more for it to stay in my palms and not snake back to my core. The gash was at the top of his head leading into his hairline. Hopefully Gloin wouldn't object to me touching his hair in this instance.

I placed my hands onto Gloin's head and the magic sunk below. No damage was done to the skull as far as I could tell. Dwarves had thick heads after all. But his head was still bleeding quite profusely. The skin needed to reseal. So I willed the cells to vision began to swim in front of me and it took a lot more energy than it normally did. Using the light earlier and falling down a cliff had left me with very little energy.

The wound was half closed when Gloin's eyes rapidly blinked open. He took one look at my strained face and shoved my hands away from him.

"Stop it ye daft girl ye gonna end up fainting" he grumbled "I'm a dwarf, I'll be fine"

I wanted to point out that he hadn't really been fine a minute ago but I was too tired to protest.

A strong tug on the bond had me gasping. It was frantic and terrified. Kili was asking if I was okay. I pulled back, trying to signal that I was okay. It hadn't been as strong as Kili's had been but it was enough to show I was there. If I followed the bond with my eyes I could see that it stretched high above me. Not the most comforting thing knowing he was so far away.

The rain was still lashing down, soaking all of my clothes. There must be somewhere we could go. Gloin sat up and peered around him. His eyes lit up when he glanced at something behind me. He pointed out what had caught his interest. There was an opening, half hidden by rocks, that led to a cave. It was a tight squeeze but we managed to make our way inside.

Once we were past the mouth it opened up into what looked like a long hallway. I couldn't see where it lead which had me on edge. Hopefully goblins hadn't noticed us coming in. Gloin had my arm slung around his shoulder and he let me lean on him as we made our way down. We stopped walking when we got to where the light from outside no longer reached us. Gloin sat me down against the wall.

"Let me 'av a look at yer foot, Lass. I've got some of Oin's things in ma pack they might help" he said taking his bag off of his back. I stretched my injured leg out in front of me. With a little effort I managed to wriggle my boot free. Then I pulled the sock down so I could see the ankle. Purple bruising wrapped around the top of my foot. Though like with my ribs, it was nowhere near as bad as I had been expecting.

Gloin grabbed my foot with a surprising gentleness. "Do you know much about healing?" I inquired.

"Aye" he said, bringing out some bandages. "Ye don't have a brother like Oin an' not pick up a few things" He found some kind of paste and spread it across my ankle. Then he began to wrap the bandages around my ankle tightly. "When Oin first go' his apprenticeship with healer Kine he would come home and tell me everythin' he'd learned that day. I'm quite a bit younger than him so it was often a bedtime story"

I smiled as Gloin reminisced.

He finished my ankle up quickly. It felt a lot better with the added support.

Gloin sighed and sat down heavily "Now we need to find out where the others are. And if they're even alive"

I pointed in the general direction of the bond "They are in that direction and I know that Kili at least Kili is alive" My hand ghosted over my chest where Kili's heart beat was.

"How d'ye know that?" Gloin raised his eyebrow.

"When I brought Kili back I tied his life to mine. Now were like _literally _connected. If Kili died then I'd be dead too" I explained

"No a knew that bit. I meant how d'ye know where they are"

"Oh if I look hard enough I can see a glowing line that connects me to Kili" I could see it snaking its way upwards.

Gloin stared at the air around me as if he was trying to see it for myself. Then he shook his head "Well a don't think we can do much right now. We'll 'ave to wait until mornin' so we can see"

A frown pulled at the corners of my mouth. "I don't think we have that long" I muttered "If they follow the same path as the story they're gonna get grabbed by goblins in the middle of the night. I was going to warn them but we're stuck down here"

Gloin swore under his breath. "We cannae really do much right now so we'll still 'av to wait" said Gloin.

Okay good, waiting I could do. My body needed to rest so that I could be somewhat functional when I inevitably came into contact with a goblin. Gloin leaned back against the tunnel wall across from me. His head wound looked a lot better but he was still covered in cuts and bruises. He must be in pain but I knew he'd refuse my help again. Dwarves were stubborn and Gloin was an old warrior, he'd probably had worse pain in his life.

We sat in silence for a few moments. Only the sound of our breathing and the distant drizzle of rain were audible. I hadn't actually spent much time with Gloin. He usually kept to himself or banded together with some of the older dwarves. This was probably the longest time we'd been alone with each other.

"So" said Gloin "In this other world o' yer's did it say much about me?"

I could tell that Gloin was trying to lighten the mood. Keep us distracted from our current insurmountable problems.

"There was a little bit" I said, sleepily "Er I think it said that you were a banker and dealt with money before this. Oh and also that your Gimli's dad"

"Gimli? ma wee lad is in ye stories?" Gloin asked, his eyes wide.

I realised then that I had probably said too much. In my tired state Gimli's name had slipped out. There probably wouldn't be much harm in me telling Gloin a few things though. I just wouldn't go into any details. "Yeah, he's a very famous dwarf. Or he will be in about 60 years"

"My lad, a famous dwarf" Gloin's eyes brimmed with pride. He really did love his son.

My eyelids started to droop. I tried to stay as alert as possible but the day had taken it out of me. "Ye should rest, lass. I'll wake ye if anything happens"

I wanted to stay up with Gloin but I knew that there were at least a few hours until the goblins found the dwarves. A nap wouldn't be amiss.

oOo

Sleep had claimed me with a surprising speed. I couldn't tell if I dreamt or not because they all faded when I woke abruptly. It wasn't Gloin that woke me up, he was rather startled when I jumped up. Instead it was the sudden intense pounding in my chest. The heartbeat that belonged to Kili had erupted. It pulled me swiftly from my very deep sleep.

I sat up gasping and covering my chest. "I..think..the..goblins..have..them" I panted.

Gloin rushed into action instantly. He stood up and swung his pack onto his back. His axe was ready in his hand. I clambered up as fast as I could. That nap had done me a world of good. My ankle was already feeling better and didn't collapse below me. Elven really were hardy it seems. Some of my energy had also returned meaning that I could probably use some of my power without fainting. I felt bad that I had managed to rest while Gloin hadn't but I couldn't really change that now.

I swung my own bag onto my back and drew my own sword. Trying to remember all of the training Dwalin had given me.

Gloin and I both realised that the only way to help our friends was to journey further into the cave. The darkness looked impenetrable before us. Not the most inviting of places. I would need my power in order for us to see. To save energy I only brought the light into one hand and only allowed a dim radiance to slip through.

The tunnel seemed to continue on, deep into the mountain. My hand could only illuminate a shallow dome around us so we were soon swallowed by the darkness. The walls were damp and the air was stale. Every sound I heard set off my fight or flight response. I would swing my sword around in front of me.

Soon the orangey light of a flame appeared in the distance and the sounds of goblin town permeated the air. Quickly I closed my hand and the light disappeared. The tunnel gave way to a towering cavern that took up the entire centre of the mountain. I could see shadows of goblins running above us. None of them had noticed us yet. They were too busy with their guests above us.

I could hear the shouts from the company above us and hundreds of goblins were crawling over to them. Gloin grabbed me and held me flat against the wall. A hunched over goblin scuttled passed the opening to the tunnel. Thankfully, it didn't look back.

The centre of the maze of platforms and rope bridges was where all of the dwarves were being taken. I turned to tell this to Gloin. When a scream split through the air before I got the chance. Followed by the body of a falling Hobbit.

"Mahal, was tha' Bilbo" Gloin whispered forcefully.

"Yeah" I whispered back "Don't worry he's fine"

"Fine! he just fell to his death!" Gloin argued

"No trust me he'll find his way out"

I told Gloin that we needed to find our way up the top without being seen. He didn't seem too impressed. We wandered further into the cavern. Always looking around us for any sign of movement. A mouldy rope ladder seemed to be our best shot at that moment. It was tucked into a corner and there did not seem to be any goblins around it.

Gloin went first. The first rung he stepped on immediately split in two. It didn't bode well for the rest of our journey. He tried again, aiming to keep his feet closer to the edges. When he was a few feet above me I followed up behind him. The ladder was coated in something slimy and gelatinous. It took everything in me not to gag.

The ladder didn't extend all the way and Gloin had to jump the last part. When Gloin reached the platform he reached down to help me up. A shadow fell over him as he held out his hand. He didn't have time to react as the body of a goblin bared down on him. It's skin was a mottled green colour. Pustules lined its whole body and its limbs stuck out at odd angles. Gloin couldn't move, but I could.

My sword was in my hand in a flash. With a thrust of my arm the steel buried itself deep into the monsters head. It hadn't even had the chance to cry out. Black blood dripped down its body. It fell forward nearly pulling me off the ladder. My sword was still in its head and it made a disgusting *shink* sound as its body fell but the sword didn't.

"Thanks fer tha', lass" Gloin said as he helped me onto the platform.

I nodded my head, not knowing what else to say at that moment. We were one platform down and there were many more to go. So we plowed ahead, making our way upwards. There was the odd goblin we had to dispatch along the way. More so the closer we got. Fortunately none have them got the chance to raise the alarm.

We were so close now and I could feel the presence of hundreds of goblins swarming around us. There was a small alcove that we were heading towards. it lay along one of the main paths and it would help to shroud us. Gloin managed to make it there first. He turned back to look where I was and his eyes went wide.

"LOOK OUT"

Then I heard the shrieks of more than one creature. I spun round, swinging wildly with my sword. One of them caught the end of my sword but there were more of them than I realised. They grabbed me with their razor sharp fingers. Ripping into my hair, pulling at my clothes. My sword was gone in an instant. I heard Gloin succumb to the same fate behind me.

They dragged me along. I tried to resist but it only caused them to scratch and bite. I wanted to scream when I felt their disgusting hands roaming around my body. I was yanked this way and that. My feet barely touched the floor. Until finally I was thrown unceremoniously to the ground. Multiple pairs of hands held me down so that I could stand up. A fetid stench blocked my airways. Looking up I saw that I was on the main platform. The Goblin King towered above me. I met Kili's terrified eyes through the mass of bodies.

"Look what we found sire,"

"An elf"

"A _Female_"

Shrill voices rang through the cavern and I wanted to curl up. Gloin was thrown in with the other dwarves. Only I had the luxury of the goblins sole attention. The Goblin King looked down at me like Christmas had come early.

"It's been such a long time since an elf has graced my kingdom" The Goblin King reached down, a large rotten hand lifted up my chin. His skin was putrid and I could feel a film of something slimy across its surface. The other goblins let go of me when their king approached. Protests were shouted by the dwarves but the Goblin king paid them no mind. He strained my neck up so that I had to look him in the eyes. Tears were falling down my face but I tried not to break. "They take longer to break and their cries are the most exquisite. Lets see what our devices can do to that pretty skin of yours"

I heard the sound of the dwarves trying to rush forwards. An awful panic bloomed violently within me. It was only made worse when the goblins found Thorin's sword.

"THE GOBLIN CLEAVER" they blarted.

It made the goblins angry and they swarmed. Ripping, biting, clawing. In my panic, my power rose unbidden. Bright, searing light burst out of me and shot out in all directions. The goblins in my immediate vicinity were fried and thrown off the sides. The King took a big brunt of it as well. Half of his face had burned and the skin was sizzling.

Everyone was shocked for a few seconds. It was just enough time for a second wave of blinding light to pour onto the platform. Much larger than mine had been. Blowing all the goblins over the sides.

Gandalf had finally arrived. I could have cried in relief.

"Quick, gather your weapons" said Gandalf "We must fly"

My head was incredibly fuzzy and it took more effort than I'd like to stand. Kili was at my side in an instant. He had my sword in his hand. I reached for it but my hands were awfully shaky.

"Come on!" Kili tried to pull me along.

My ankle screamed at me and I was becoming increasingly tired. Kili realised that I wouldn't be able to keep up. In one swift move he had picked me up around my waist and flung me over his shoulder.

Then he ran.

I could only see behind us as Kili ran. The descending horde of goblins was terrifying. They crawled like a swarm of insects, threatening to devour you whole. I still had my sword in my hand so I swung it when some of the goblins got too close. They made high pitched screams as my blade made contact. But it didn't deter them, they still kept coming.

I honestly couldn't tell where Kili was leading me. We swung wildly around bends, dropped and climbed. A few times I nearly slid off his shoulder but another dwarf was there to shove me back on. At one point we were airborne and I had to cling onto Kili for dear life. I had no idea how he remained upright but I wasn't going to question it, when was the only thing keeping me alive.

The company was fighting them off effectively until Kili stumbled to a stop. The momentum knocked me off of him. I caught myself just in time to not collapse to the ground. The bridge rumbled below us as I saw what had urged Kili to stop. The Goblin King had burst through the bridge from underneath us. His face was blackened and oozing. Only one eye still worked. The goblin swarm then walled us in on all sides.

Gandalf fell backwards as the Goblin King swung for him. "You rats come into my kingdom and dare deface me!" Bellowed the Goblin King "You are surrounded, what are you going to do now?"

Gandalf very kindly made his answer known. With his staff, he rammed it forcefully into the Goblin Kings one good eye. Then, with glamdring, he gored the kings belly and slit his throat. It happened in a matter of moments and all I could do was stare. Both in disgust and morbid fascination.

The king let out a guttural death rattle before pitching forwards. Taking the rest of the bridge with him; us included. For the second time in a matter of hours I was free falling down a mountain. I needed to stop making a habit of this. My stomach was in my throat and I felt nausea rise with it. I fell to the ground as the bridge crashed against the rock wall. Sharp strips of wood shot out as they hit the sides. Some of the dwarves fell through the slats in the wood falling into what had been the suspension part of the bridge. They grabbed the rotten wood and held on for dear life.

The board beneath Kili also collapsed, sending him sprawling through the bottom. I screamed and reached for him. My finger grazed his arm but he fell further from my reach. Thankfully he caught himself below, wrapping his arms around a beam. I managed to stay on the top. Probably because I was the lightest one in the group.

We landed at the bottom with a bone shuddering crash. I was thrown from the top of the bridge and landed on the dirt below. It took a few moments before I could get my breath back.

"You need to move" I shouted.

"We're trying" I heard someone say.

But they didn't move fast enough and the enormous body of the Goblin King landed on top of them. Crushing them below the debris. I rushed to my feet to try and excavate them from the rubble.

"Ye've got to be joking" I heard Dwalin growl.

Thorin was the first person I helped up. He got up quickly, wiping off the dust from his coat. Then I turned to help Dori. His leg was caught under a beam and we had to lift it out of the way.

"Gandalf!" Kili yelled.

The goblins were bearing down on us from above. More pissed off than before.

I finally got Dori out of the rubble when Gandalf told us that we needed to make a break for daylight. It was our only hope now. All the dwarves somehow get themselves free and we were running again. My ankle cried out in protest but I ignored it in favour of running for my life.

Light streamed in from an opening in the tunnel. In that moment, It felt like the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. All of us poured out into the forest. Not stopping to rest until we were a considerable distance away from the cave entrance. I gulped down the clean air of the forest. Fresh and crisp, it felt like a blessing after the stench of goblin town.

Kili ran up to me and wrapped me in his arms. "I was so scared when Thorin said you'd fell"

I sighed in relief, clinging onto him. Being in Kili's arms helped me to calm down. He lay his forehead against mine. A dwarven gesture.

Gandalf was counting us all to make sure that we were all accounted for. "So that is all 13 dwarves and Leah" he muttered "But where is Bilbo? Has anyone seen him?"

"I saw him slink off when the Goblins took us" said Nori, his perfectly coiffed hair had started to come out.

Thorin's face twisted in distaste. I knew what he was thinking. He thought that Bilbo had deliberately left them.

"Actually" interrupted Gloin "Me an' the lass saw Master Baggins falling deeper into the mountain, He musta been pushed off the side"

"Mahal!" Thorin swore "He has gone and gotten himself trapped in the mountain"

The sudden appearance of Bilbo from behind a tree shocked everyone. Well everyone except me. He stood as if he was expecting to be reprimanded but he held his head high. "Actually I found my way out. There was a path that snaked underneath the Goblins"

Thorin's face remained stoic but I could see a flicker of something in his eyes. "For a moment there I thought you had found your chance and ran. You have been craving the comforts of home since you left"

Bilbo nodded "You're right, I have. I long for my books and my garden and some decent pipeweed" he chuckled "All of that is home for me, I have that to look forward to when I go back. But none of you have that. You're home was taken from you. So I am not going to leave until you get to go home too"

Bilbo's speech was so moving. He had really grown to care about the people in the company despite some of the coldness that he had received. Thorin's face softened at Bilbo's words.

I hobbled over towards Bilbo. His face lit up when he saw me. "Leah you're alive"

"Just about" I mumbled as I brought him in for a hug.

We were shocked apart at the sound of a demented howl.

Azog had found us already? I just needed to rest for five minutes, was that too much to ask? The other dwarves had heard it too. Each grabbing their weapons. High up on the hill stood a huge pack of wargs and their orc riders. The wargs began to dart down the hill, heading straight for us.

"Run, RUN!" urged Gandalf.

I didn't need to be told twice. Adrenaline shot through me as I urged my injured leg onwards. The slope slanted dangerously downwards and I had to catch myself on rocks to prevent myself from falling. It wasn't long before the wargs caught up to us. They drove between us, gnashing their fangs. I swung my sword up to prevent a warg from getting too close. The blade struck on the side of its neck, spraying blood up my face. It fell at my feet but its claws caught my arm on the way down. I staggered backwards but managed to stay upright.

We ran onwards until the slope came to a dangerous drop. There was nowhere else to go and the wargs were still bearing down on us.

"Into the trees!"

Everyone began ascending into the branches above us. They helped each other and launched people into the trees. Then they began climbing up as well. Just as I was about to reach for a branch, a snarl erupted behind me. A warg had made its way towards us. Strands of drool dripped out from its fangs. Its eyes were completely black and soulless. The warg let out one more snarl before pouncing. Teeth and claws came straight for me.

I didn't have time to raise my sword. My magic reacted for me, swirling up from deep within. It exploded out once more, blowing the creature backwards. It let out a strangled yelp. Followed by the sound and smell of singed fur and burnt flesh.

All my energy left me at once and I nearly collapsed to the floor. Hands caught underneath my arms preventing me from doing so. The world around me swam out of focus as I was hauled further into the tree. A body pressed me between them and the trunk so that I wouldn't fall. I fought my body to stay awake and take in great gulping breaths.

The wargs didn't stop when we got into the trees. They ran headlong into the trunk. Tearing it out by the roots. The tree only lasted for a few moments longer before it listed backwards. A wave of vertigo hit me as the tree fell. I only managed to jump onto the other tree out of sheer luck. It was more falling with style than a jump really. The branch of the tree slammed into my stomach knocking the air out of me. Desperation made me cling to the tree rather than falling out of it.

A blaze of heat suddenly fell past me. The shock of it made me shy away, nearly losing my grip on the tree. Fire was raining down from above, burning the creatures below. The dwarves were launching the flaming projectiles from the boughs above me. The wargs fur caught alight with surprising ease. Spreading quickly.

So quickly in fact that it spread through the trees. The flames began licking their way up back towards us. It was ruining the integrity of the tree and a loud crack signalled the trees descent. Ori and Dori were knocked out of the tree as it fell backwards. Only Gandalf staff managed to catch them. They both dangled over the edge of the cliff. Nothing but air below them.

My own legs were dangling over the edge. Desperately trying to find purchase in the branches below. Adrenaline was the only thing that was keeping me going. My body was so dangerously weak in that moment. It took everything not to fall from the tree.

The sound of black speech rang through the air. Azog had arrived.

Through the flickering flames I saw him. His face shone with malice and unbridled glee at the destruction before him. The sight of him brought bile to my throat. It was really him. The one who would kill Thorin.

Azog drifted his piercing blue eyes across the tree. Relishing in our despair. His eyes landed on me and a ravenous smile spread across his face. I froze beneath his stare. Sharp, biting words left his mouth but I couldn't understand what he said. High-pitched, terrified cries left my mouth before I could stop them. Then Azog shifted his attention towards Thorin.

He taunted him and I felt the tree shift as Thorin rose. " Thorin, stop" I stuttered.

Thorin didn't listen and ran towards the danger with his sword raised. Azog's warg reacted when Thorin got close enough, knocking him from his feet. He got up just in time to have Azog's mace slam into his chest. I could hear the dwarves yelling around me. Dwalin tried to climb up but his branch snapped. Nearly sending him into the chasm below. The warg then wrapped its maw around Thorin's torso. Biting down and piercing his armour. He was thrown several feet and crashed onto a boulder. His sword flew from his grasp and he could barely keep his head up.

It looked like all was lost as Azog sent his lackey to cut off Thorin's head. A sword lifted up Thorin's chin. The orc was just about to deal the killing blow when it was attacked by a hobbit. The momentum sent both the orc and Bilbo flying. Bilbo stabbed at the orc, using some of the techniques Dwalin had taught him. Then he backed up so that he was close to Thorin. His lone protector.

I didn't see much more as a plume of feathers shrouded my vision. The suddenness of it shocked me and what little grip I had on the tree fell away. My body slipped through the air. Strong talons lassoed their way around my middle, preventing me from tumbling into the forest below. Before I could make sense of what was happening I was thrown on the back of a large bird.

The Eagles.

They were so much more impressive than my imagination had me believe. And they had just saved our lives.

I nearly face planted the bird as my body finally succumbed to tiredness.

_Next up is Beorn's house and a few surprises_


	24. One day we'll reveal the truth

I didn't fall asleep on the eagle. The adrenaline still coursing through my body prevented me from falling unconscious. Also I was terrified I'd fall off the side if I closed my eyes. Though I did allow myself to lie down. Mainly because I didn't think I had it in me to stay sitting up while we whirled through the air. The wind resistance was bound to send me flying. My hands were wrapped tightly around the feathers of the birds back.

"I'm not hurting you am I" I said, voice barely audible over the wind.

I didn't want to be rude to my saviour by yanking out some of his feathers. "No little elfling. It would take a lot more than that to hurt me" his voice was so regal and strong.

Knowing an animal can talk and actually seeing it are two completely different things. I had expected it but when it happened it still left me astounded. " is your name?"

"My name is Lythor. What is your's elfling?"

"My name is Leah. Or Liriel. Both really" I muttered "Thank you for saving me Lythor. I owe you my life"

"You are most welcome Leah or Liriel."

Then we settled into silence. Lythor flew on, majestically carving a path through the sky. Far below me the ground spread out. The trees were like mere dots from this high up. It was like looking out of an airplane window.

More eagles flew around me. The one holding Thorin was leading the flock. He was still unconscious within the birds talons. Looking within I searched to find the bond. It glittered in my mind's eye stretching off the left. Kili was on the back of an eagle with his brother. Both cut up but okay. I pulled slightly on the bond. His face whipped around until he found the eagle I was on. He sighed in relief and smiled at me.

Knowing that everyone was safe, even if just for a moment, was like a thorn being removed from my side. The sweet relief nearly made me giddy. Then again that might have been the tiredness seeping into my bones and clouding my mind. The first thing I wanted to do when we landed was to sleep for 24 hours. I'm sure one of the dwarves could carry me if we had to move.

I let out a breathy laugh at the thought.

Time seemed to cease all meaning as we flew. I couldn't tell you how long we flew for. All I knew was that the orcs were far behind us and the sun was very high in the sky. Its warm rays were most welcome after the cold of the misty mountains. A rocky peak jutted out against the surrounding forest. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say that it was our destination. Lythor confirmed it when he banked forwards, dropping towards the carrock.

Thorin was placed onto the ground first, followed by the rest. Lythor landed gracefully on the rock. He leaned one his wings down so that I could slide off. After so long not standing my legs were jelly, they nearly gave out underneath me. Thankfully, Lythor's wing pushed me back up.

Everyone rushed over to their fallen leader. Wanting to see if he was okay.

"I could help" I offered weakly, stumbling forwards.

"Oh no ye will not lass" said Bofur appearing by my side "Look at the state of ye. Bifur make sure she doesn't try to move".

Bifur appeared on my other side and I knew I was outmatched. He put an arm around me and led me to a rock I could sit on. I sat down heavily, my limbs feeling like lead. Even though my offer was genuine I was kind of glad they stopped me from healing Thorin. I would have fainted for sure.

It was gandalf who healed Thorin instead. His staff ghosted over Thorin's body and he muttered near inaudible spells. Fili and Kili looked on in fear for their uncle. Thorin awoke with a gasp.

"The halfling? where is Bilbo?" he gasped, trying to get up.

Gandalf tried to stop Thorin from getting up too fast "Bilbo is here. He is quite safe"

Thorin scrambled up to his feet, with the help of the people around him. He searched frantically until his eyes landed on Bilbo. They softened as soon as they saw him. His face changed as if he was seeing Bilbo in a whole new light.

"What were you doing? you could have gotten yourself killed" said Thorin.

"I couldn't just _leave_ you Thorin. He was going to take your head" Bilbo's voice cracked slightly on the last word.

"But he didn't" Thorin's eyes flickered around Bilbo's face "Because of you" his voice was now a lot softer.

Thorin strode forward with purpose and wrapped his arms around Bilbo. Holding him tightly. Bilbo was incredibly surprised at first but then returned the hug in kind. Burying his head in Thorin's fur coat. "I doubted you at every turn and for that I am sorry. I have never been more wrong"

The hug broke off and Bilbo smiled at Thorin "Don't worry, I would have doubted me too"

Thorin held Bilbo's shoulder still staring deeply into Bilbo's face "Never again will I underestimate you Bilbo Baggins"

Bilbo had never looked happier. Even after everything we'd just been through. I guess that this was the point at which he finally felt like he belonged with the company. Bilbo's gaze drifted over Thorin's shoulder and he gasped.

"Is that…?"

"It is in fact Mister Baggins." Gandalf Clarified. "The Lonely Mountain. One of the last great dwarven kingdoms"

It lay in the distance. A single, solitary peak rising dramatically from the ground. The dwarves looked upon it with awe and admiration. It was their home. How long had it been since any of them had laid their eyes upon it?

oOo

We were staying atop the carrock until the next day. That meant we all finally had time to properly rest. No predators would get us today, not this far up from the ground. The Lord of the Eagles, Gwahir, very kindly offered to hunt for us. The only thing we had been eating since we got to the misty mountains was dried fruit, bread and jerky. It was a godsend when the eagles came back with rabbits and a sheep. Though I did sit out when it came to help prepare them. I don't think I was mentally, emotionally or physically capable of skinning anything in that moment.

I fell asleep before the food was even made. One moment I was sat on my rock and the next I was out like a light. My dreams were a strange mix of old memories resurfacing and new nightmares from our ordeal in the mountain. Mum would be teaching me how to read and then a vision of Azog would invade. It went on like that until I woke.

When I did wake I was laying on my bedroll. A sharp rock was digging painfully into my side that the roll couldn't cover. I rolled over with a groan. It was around midday when I had accidentally fallen asleep and now a blanket of stars hung above me. With being so far up I had an almost unobstructed view of the sky above.

"It's rather beautiful isn't it" Whispered Kili. He was sat up beside me looking up at the stars. Nearly everyone else was asleep. Though I think I could see Dwalin looking around. He was probably on watch.

"It's amazing" I breathed "You know what the light pollution is like back home we'd never see anything like this"

"Yes" Kili nodded "I remember feeling quite saddened when I couldn't see the stars properly"

I sat up so that I was level with him. My body obeyed me with little to no resistance. It seemed my long sleep had healed quite a few of my aches and pains. I felt like a new person. Then I snaked my arm through his and I hugged it to me. Placing my head on his shoulder at the same time. I lay there for a moment, just feeling his warmth against me. It was the calmest I'd felt in a while. "I love you" I whispered "I'm so glad you're safe"

"I love you too" he echoed, the words warming my heart. I felt a kiss against my temple "For a moment there, when Uncle told me you fell, I thought I'd lost you again. I knew you were alive but you could have been anywhere and I wasn't there to help you. Just like before, with those men. You were in danger and I couldn't stop it. When those goblins were _touching_ you I tried so hard to get to you but I couldn't" His voice had become strained "I can't lose you Leah, I didn't want you to go through any of this"

I covered Kili's cheek with my hand, making him look at me. He leaned into it and covered it with his own hand. "I'm not going anywhere Kili. We've gotten through it now. We're all _alive"_

"But what about what's to come?" said Kili "I would not have you in a battle. I think my heart would explode"

"Don't do that, I've only just healed it" I joked.

Kili laughed weakly, though I knew his thoughts still lay heavy on his mind. But right now I wanted to concentrate on something nicer. Kili's eyes were so warm as he looked into my own. With a soft gentleness, I leaned in and placed my lips over his own. I lingered for a second before pulling back. The kiss was chaste but it was full of love. Then Kili gave me a genuine smile, his eyes crinkled at the corners.

"You must be starving," he said. Then he reached beside him and brought out a wooden bowl. It contained cubes of miscellaneous, cooked meats. They were long cold by now. "I managed to save you some though it is rather cold now"

"Cold food is better than none I guess" I grabbed the bowl from him. The meat was very gristley difficult to chew. It wasn't the most pleasant thing but I was hungry. Beggars can't be choosers.

"Do you know what I really want right now?" I said around a bite "Chocolate. I wasn't even that big of a fan of it when I was back in the other world. But right now I would absolutely destroy a galaxy caramel" My body was craving all things sweet.

"Oh don't remind me of what I cannot have. It's torture" Kili joked "My favourite was the one with those odd sweets in. The ones that exploded when you ate them"

"Oh the one with popping candy in. Yeah they're good too"

Kili and I reminisced about food while I ate my very disappointing meal. It left me in lighter spirits.

When I was done I put my bowl down and looked back at Kili. His courting braid had become very loose with a lot of strands sticking out. I checked my own and found the same. The goblins had tore their tiny, little, gremlin hands through my hair and it was filthy. I needed a bath as soon as possible.

"We need to redo these" I said, wiggling my now pathetic excuse for a braid at him.

He glanced quickly at his own "You're right" then he glanced at the rest of the company "There's not really much privacy but I think they're all asleep anyway"

My bag had somehow been rescued from the goblins. I hadn't even thought of it at the time. Someone must have grabbed it for me. I took my brush out from the toiletries bag. I zeroed in at the lembas bread at the bottom. I imagine it would have been much nicer than the cold meat but I knew I shouldn't use it up. It was probably crushed by now but it would be useful when we got to Mirkwood.

I handed Kili the brush and he made quick work of my hair. It snagged occasionally as there was all sorts clinging to its surface. He quickly rebraided my hair and fastened it with the bead. I did the same for him. Though I did have to shove him when he wouldn't stop looking at me. His lovey-dovey eyes were putting me off. Eventually he had a matching braid too.

We sat next to each other, holding hands, until the early light of day creeped out over the horizon. The others began to stir when the sun shone in their faces. Most of them grumbled and blearily got to their feet. It took around an hour before everyone was finally up. Then we broke camp. We needed the full day to make it down from the carrock. It was rather a long way down.

Before we set off, Oin made his way over to me.

"Can a take a look at ye ankle, lass. I didnae get the chance to yesterday because ye were out like a light" he said, setting his bag down in front of him.

I nodded and sat back down. Peeling the boot off of my leg. The paste that gloin had used had now gone dry and crusty. It was pretty gross. Oin picked up my ankle and twisted it gently to the sides. A dull pain still remained but it was manageable. He took the bandages off to reveal the already fading bruises. I heard Oin tut but he told me that it would heal okay. So I put my boot back on and followed on after everyone.

The descent was grueling. Steep drops and razor sharp rocks lined the whole outcrop. We had to find ways to maneuver the whole company downwards. It involved a lot of catching, throwing and jumping. Bombur managed to crush three people below him when he slipped down one particular slope. Poor Bilbo was one of them and had to be pulled free. I'm surprised he didn't break a rib. Hobbits weren't as hardy as dwarves after all.

As evening was beginning to fall we at last made it to the bottom. There were many cries of relief and a few collapsed onto the grass and refused to move any further. It was as perfect a place to camp as any. We chose to move further into a copse of trees that lined the outcrop. That way we would have some cover. When we made our way into the trees, we found that we had struck gold. A river snaked its way through the forest. Leisurely running its course. Water never looked so inviting than it did in that moment.

It was a mad scramble for who would get to bathe first. They all lost however when I pulled the 'ladies first' card. I used their dwarven honour against them and I don't care who knows it. As long as I got clean I did not care.

Gathering my things, I moved a little further upstream. That way I wouldn't be seen by the camp. But I was close enough if anything bad happened. One yell and they'd come running. Not that I really wanted that to happen while I was half naked in a river. The thought reminded me of the first river I bathed in. When Thorin had nearly come rushing in because I fell in the cold water. I resolved myself not to fall in this time.

I stripped down until I was only in my underwear and then waded in. The cold hit me straight away and I gritted my teeth. My new elven soap smelled amazing and I used it to scrub the grime off me. I dunked my head in and rinsed off my hair. Then I put on my cleanest clothes and set to washing the others. A tune came to my head while I worked.

_I found a map and it broke my heart_

_I didn't know that I'd ever go this far_

_With a compass point driving ink into my arm_

_The father, son and the holy ghost_

_Don't talk too much, never been that close_

_Pouring spirits while I follow the Northern star_

_And as the birds fly south_

_I've been missing a small house_

_That holds all my words in precious store_

_I found your message at the bottom of a bottle_

_Come back to where the streets are paved with stone_

The song reminded me of this journey. When I finished I gathered all of my things and made my way back. I tried to place all my wet clothes around the fire.

"Ye took ye time lass, it's nearly dark" said Bifur, already pushing past me.

Everyone took off except for Gandalf. He sat by the fire with his pipe in his hand. I went and sat next to him. "It is good seeing you in better spirits, my dear. You were looking dreadfully pale yesterday"

"Yeah" I sighed "I used way too much of my power, it kinda knocked it out of me"

Gandalf took a big inhale from his pipe. When he exhaled a perfect butterfly emerged and flew off. "Your magic seems to be developing quite well," he said, "I noticed that Bifur is no longer sporting his axe head piece. I assume that was your doing"

"Yeah it was" I beamed at him.

"Very Impressive, my dear. Very impressive indeed."

The dwarves were making an almighty racket in the river. There were cheers and splashes and what I could only assume was a water fight turned nasty. I just hoped that none of them drifted to far back this way. I didn't need to see 13 naked dwarves and a hobbit today. Though there was one dwarf I wouldn't have minded seeing.

My face immediately went bright red when I thought about it and I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts. Try not to think about the fact that Kili was super naked and covered in water right now. My mind was my own worst enemy. I ended up counting sticks on the ground to distract myself.

Slowly they all trickled back into camp. I froze as Kili came into view. He was laughing about something with his brother. He also had yet to put his shirt back on. His skin was still glistening with water. I suddenly felt very hot and it wasn't because I was in front of the fire. Fuck me why was he so good looking. My heartbeat picked up and it was immediately noticed by Kili. When he saw me staring, he had the audacity to wink at me before throwing his shirt on. The laces on the front weren't done up yet so quite a lot of his chest was still on display.

I'm sure he did that on purpose.

He made his way over to me and sat next to me on my log. A mischievous smirk had spread across his face.

"You've gotten so hot and bothered maybe you should move away from the fire," said Kili his voice low and rough.

"I'm perfectly fine where I am, thank you" I said, voice a little too high.

"Suit yourself." he said, picking up my hand and kissing the back. His smirk deepened as my stupid heart gave me away.

Kili then spent the rest of the night with his shirt unlaced. He stubbornly pretended as if he didn't notice it. I could see soft, dark hair fanned out across his chest. A part of me wanted to know what it would feel like to run my hands through it.

oOo

We spent the next week haltingly making our way through thick forests. The foliage was thick and there was no clear path through the trees. Sometimes we'd have to circle back the way we came when the path we were on ventured into hazardous drops. I don't know how the dwarves navigated when we were under the canopy of the trees. They somehow knew which way was west, which was all I needed to know really.

Distant screeches and howls got closer each and every day. Even though we had gotten quite a head start from the eagles, they were gaining on us quite quickly. It didn't help that they had wargs to ride and we had to walk. What I would give to have Mithiel back. She was a good horse.

Evening was fast approaching and it would have usually been a time to set up camp. However the sound of howls had gotten dangerously close. We couldn't stop or they would certainly catch our scent and give chase. I just hoped that Beorn was around to scare them off or we would be overrun in no time.

We huddled in the midst of a collection of boulders. Using their height to shroud us from our enemy. Bilbo ended up being our scout. He was nimble and would be the least likely to be seen.

The sound of a howl reverberated through the air. It was so close it set my nerves on end. I reached out to Kili, grabbing onto his arm. Having him near made me feel somewhat better.

The howls suddenly changed into whines. Then a deeper, bassy growl of a much larger animal took its place. I felt the hairs on my neck stand up. Good god let that be Beorn, I couldn't deal with some other mutant orc creature right now. Then again, Beorn in his bear form wasn't particularly friendly either.

None of the other dwarves seemed to have heard the new creature. Instead they peppered Bilbo with questions about the orcs. Not giving him a chance to explain anything. He would open his mouth only for people to interrupt him again.

"Just listen for goodness sake" Bilbo whispered forcefully "There's something else out there"

Gandalf didn't seem too surprised by the circumstances. "What form did the creature take?"

"A bear" said Bilbo "Only much much bigger"

Gandalf nodded to himself, "Yes, yes I suspected as much"

"Ye know this creature Gandalf?" asked Bofur, his eyebrows shooting past the brim of his hat. "Should we turn back"

"No" said Thorin "We'd only be run down by an orc pack"

My sensitive ears picked up the sound of shifting feet somewhere close by. Then the sound of sniffing. Getting ever closer. I swung my head around quickly trying to determine its location.

"Err Gandalf" The other dwarves noticed my now panicked expression "I think now would be a good time to start running to Beorn's house"

Gandalf nodded "Yes, yes that is the only place of refuge around here. Though he will either welcome us or kill us" then his eyebrows screwed up and he looked as if he had just noticed something he overlooked. "But why would we need to run"

The roar of a very angry bear from right behind him was enough of an answer. Beorn had sniffed us out very quickly.

No one wasted time as we booked our way out of there. With an incredibly large bear resolutely on our tail. The forest soon gave way to green, open pastures. However I didn't have the chance to marvel at its beauty as I ran for my life. I'd have to get a better look in the morning. Bees the size of your hand flitted by next to us. Scaring the shit out of me when they appeared out of nowhere. I'm not a big fan of bugs and ones this big were not something I needed to see.

Beorn's halls sat at the far end of the field we ran through. Everyone bolted for the door. Causing a mad crush as they tried to push a locked door. I caught a few elbows to the ribs as I tried to make my way forwards. Thorin, thankfully, had the brains to lift the outside lock up off the door and shove the thing open. We all barrelled inside, nearly tripping over each other in the process. The last dwarf got through just as the face of a bear gnashed its teeth at the entryway. Bofur fell backwards away from the creatures mouth. The rest of the dwarves rallied behind the door and fought to get it closed. When they finally did, they collapsed against the wood. Tired sighs falling from there mouth.

" was that?" asked Ori, visibly shaken.

"That my dear Ori was our host." said Gandalf, he didn't seem as ruffled as the rest of us "And as Leah has already stated his name is Beorn. He's a skin-changer"

I put my hand over my chest. Willing my heart to stop racing. It didn't help that Kili's own was running a mile a minute. I took several deep breaths to try and steady myself. A nervous laugh was bubbling up at what we just went through. I guess I can cross 'get chased by a bear' off the bucket list now.

Some of the dwarves started arguing about the morality of a man that could turn into a bear. I decided not to get involved in that particular debate. In all honesty, I thought Beorn was super cool. The dude was like 9ft tall, could change into a bear and loved his animals. I mean what a guy.

"You lot don't half make a racket" a new voice cut through the air. Effectively silencing everyone.

The dwarves spun round weapons at the ready. Where as I nearly started crying at the sound. I spun around quickly to see the speaker. She stood there, arms crossed, a pleasant smile on her face. A large, maroon shirt hung off her slight frame and her hair was in a long fishtail braid. Looking almost the same as when I last saw her. Except for the now delicate points of her ears.

"Mum!" I cried, tears welling up in my eyes.

When she noticed me she covered her mouth with her hand. Her own tears welling up in her eyes. Both of us ran towards each other. She enveloped me in her arms and I buried my face in her neck. Mum was here. She was safe. Her familiar embrace and the smell of her skin made me more emotional than I thought possible. So much had happened since I last saw her. I'd been so scared. In that moment, I was a child and my mum was comforting me. Chasing the nightmares away.

"Oh Leah I've been so worried" her hand laced into my hair. Then she leaned back to see my face. Her hands cupped my cheeks, wiping tears away with her thumbs. "You must have been so scared darling. I'm so sorry"

"It's not your fault," I whispered, looking up into mum's eyes. The relief at seeing her face was staggering. Everything suddenly felt like it would be okay. My mum was here, of course I'd be safe.

"Ellen" Kili breathed next to me "It's good to see you again"

Mum turned to Kili with a smile. "Oh Kili it's good to see you too" Then she enveloped him in a quick hug too. He seemed a bit surprised but accepted the hug in kind.

I was too busy feeling elated and having a huge smile stretched across my face that I didn't immediately see Gandalf's awestruck expression. It was only after he spoke that I noticed it.

"Elinneth" he gasped, walking towards my mum "Elrond told his suspicions but I did not dare hope"

Gandalf reached out a hand and mum took it, smiling up at him. The familiarity of her smile and the fact that my mum didn't even blink when Gandalf called her Elinneth, had me thinking that she had gotten more memories back I had. "Mithrandir, it has been a long time," then she added "For you at least"

"Yes, yes it has" Gandalf looked at my mum as if she were a miracle. Then he looked down at me as if seeing me in a new light.

oOo

Introductions were made between the company and mum. Some were a bit wary of her because she was an elf. I think they often forgot that I was one too because I was so short. Most of them however were very respectful. If only because she was my mother and they didn't want to offend me.

Thorin was one of the few dwarves that approached my mum properly. He stood as tall as he could, looking every bit as regal as he was. Then he inclined his head in deep bow. "Lady Ellen, Kili has told me of you and your actions in defending him. If you were not there when he left our world I do not know what would have become of him. You have my gratitude"

Mum looked touched at Thorin's words. When he looked back up at her she replied. "You do not have to thank me Mr Oakenshield. I did what I had to in order to help. I'm sure you would have done the same thing for my Leah"

"Yes" Thorin murmured, then he turned to look at me "In fact, I already have"

Mum's eyes widened slightly, fear breaking through her happy face. She looked towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder "I think there is much you need to tell me to bring me up to speed"

Mum led us towards a large seating area. Most of the chairs were too large for us to sit on comfortably: our feet would be dangling high off the floor. However there were a few benches that were low enough to sit on. And most importantly, there was a hearth with a burning fire. It helped to drive away the chill of the autumn air.

I sat next to mum on one of the low lying benches. It was slightly too small for her height, her knees were bunched up. Though it was perfect height for me. The other dwarves either found a bench to sit on or crowded around the fire on the floor.

"How did you get here mum?" I asked.

"Oh this is where the doorway had spat me out" she explained "I was driving the car when I was suddenly assaulted by a bright light. When I woke up I was in the nearby forest. Beorn found me and very kindly let me stay with him"

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. This whole time I had feared the worst for my mum. But, thankfully, she had been here. Safe and out of harm's way.

Mum then looked at me expectantly "And what about your story. I daresay it is more colourful than mine"

"I don't know where to start," I said, looking at my hands.

Mum covered my hands with her own. "How you got here would probably be a good start"

So I told her about how I arrived in the middle of the forest, dizzy and disoriented. About how I was found by a lovely dwarf couple and they let me stay with them. She found it funny when they thought that I was a child. Then she patted me on the head and said "It's not their fault darling, you are rather short". I gave her a fake frown and pushed her hand away. She simply laughed good naturedly. I'd blame genetics but both mum and dad were a lot taller than me.

She wasn't very surprised when I told her about my stint as a bard. It was very much in character for me to do something like that apparently. Mum was also rather amazed when I told her of the dwarf friends I had made in Rildolach. In fact she seemed rather proud when I told her that one of them forged a sword for me.

"You must have really left an impression for them to do something like that," she said.

Then I had to spoil her good mood when I told her about those wretched men. "Thorin found me when he came through Rildolach. I managed to convince him to take him with me" I looked over and gave Thorin a smile. He nodded his head, not quite smiling but his eyes crinkled.

I took a deep breath before carrying on. I hated telling my mum these things but I also needed her to know. "But before we left I wanted to say goodbye to my friend Mani. I didn't have to meet thorin for a little while so I went out to go see him...But I was grabbed before I got there. Three men tried to me. Saying that they would get rich if they sold an elf-child on the black market"

I felt Kili's hand tighten on my arm. He despised hearing about this story, I knew. Mum on the other hand froze. Her eyes were like a raging inferno. It was worse than the time I came home from when Ethan had cornered me.

"Saura deleb uuan" Mum spat "Im gamp nín donn dad le lanc rista hûn"

"Mum?" I said, slightly amazed by her outburst. I had understood everything she said but by the looks of the people around me, they had not.

" did she say?" said a confused Ori from a place near the fire.

A bemused smile came across my face "Er stuff about putrid monsters and ripping out hearts from their throat" It was like one of the most badass things I'd heard her say. I also 100% believed that she was capable of it.

"There will be no need for that," said Thorin, something in Thorin's eye suggested that he liked the way my mother reacted. He would probably say something similar if it were about one of his nephews. "I already sent a sword through their gut"

"Good" mum said, levelling a look at Thorin. Anger still brimmed in her eyes but there was also immense gratitude "Thank you so much. If you had not been there.." my mum broke off.

She shook her head as if to dispel her thoughts and then sighed deeply. Composing herself once more. "It seems we are even Mr Oakenshield. I protected Kili and you protected my daughter."

"That it does my lady" said Thorin.

Then I moved on to the rest of the tale. How we got to the shire and the journey from there. Some of the other dwarves chimed in, wanting to tell stories of their own. Mum seemed fascinated by how I changed the encounter with the trolls. However at the same time she was livid that I'd been 'mauled' by one. I could tell my mum felt immensely guilty about the fact that she hadn't been there to help me. She was like Kili in that respect.

"Yeah she used her freaky elf powers to turn the thing to stone" said Fili.

Mum smiled knowingly and squeezed my hands. She seemed to know quite a bit already. We would need to have a talk later. Maybe she knew more about this whole situation than I did.

The stories continued until I got to the orc attack. My breath hitched as I tried to explain how Kili had died. How I had somehow brought him back. Mum's mouth fell open and her eyes went almost comically wide. Then her gaze shifted down to the centre of my chest. For a second in seemed like she was looking through me and then she gasped. Following the bond with her eyes.

"Eru above Leah. I can't believe it." She covered her mouth with her hand "But this means that your lives are tied together"

I bowed my head sheepishly "Yeah, Lord Elrond told me"

Mum huffed out a laugh. It sounded more like a helpless laugh, like when the situation is so far beyond your control you can't do anything else. "I leave you for one minute and you end up binding your soul to someone"

"I didn't mean to," I said, bashful.

"Oh, I know darling" she said sighing and covering her face "It's just a lot to take in"

oOo

We quickly told mum the rest of the story. After that everyone decided that they needed to sleep. The night had long since fallen after all. Mum stood up and showed the dwarves where they could stay. There were blankets and pillows already out for people to use. As if mum knew we had been coming. Which she did.

Then mum said that she had been given her own bed by Beorn and that I was welcome to share it with her. I agreed readily. The thought of a mattress to sleep on made me sigh with happiness. I smiled apologetically at Kili who was sleeping on the ground and followed mum to where we would be sleeping.

The bed was huge. Like a super king size, we would be swallowed up in the middle. It seemed that Beorn did not know how to make beds for normal sized people. The sight of it made me grin and I immediately launched myself at it. My face burying itself in the thick blanket. I heard mum giggle from somewhere behind me. Then I felt an insistent tugging on my leg. My shoe came off after a little resistance.

"You are not wearing your shoes in this bed missy" she said, taking the other one off.

That was fair enough really. I'd forgotten that I had them on when I jumped onto the mattress. Once they were off I climbed up to the top of the bed and crawled under the covers. Mum followed suit and climbed in after me. She hugged me close to her, not wanting to let me go. I could hear the steady beat of her heart as I lay my head on her chest. Mum hugs make everything better. Even when your terrified they can make you feel safe. If even for a moment. The past few months had been a whirlwind and it felt so good to have the stability of my mum in front of me.

Mum leaned back so that she could see my face. Then she reached up with her hand. I thought she was going to cup my face but it moved to something on the side. Her hand moved to the braid on the side of my head. She lifted it up with a grin and a question in her eyes.

"So are you going to tell me what this is?" she tickled my nose with the end of the braid.

"Kili asked me to court him," I said with a cheesy grin. It felt like I was on a sleepover talking about the boy I liked. I usually tell my mum everything. She was always up to date on the things happening in my life There were times when I'd rush home just to tell her about something. It was so odd that so much had happened and she wasn't up to speed. If we were back in the other world we would have already gushed about Kili.

"I knew there was something between you two," she smiled.

"And you didn't think to tell me" I laughed "I spent ages trying to figure it out"

I then told her how Kili had asked me to court him. Mum oohed and aahed accordingly. "Now the important question is, is he a good kisser"

I felt my cheeks go red "Yes, he rather is" we both giggled like school girls.

"You know in elven culture he's supposed to ask the parents first" Mum said "It's more of a sign of respect really because it's frowned upon to actually forbid a courting. But he didn't ask me first, how scandalous" mum mock gasped.

The mention of elven culture made me curious. My face became serious again as I asked her "Mum, how much do you remember of your first life? I can't really remember much of mine and the only way I found out I was from here is because of Elrond"

Mum's face turned serious too and her eyes were sympathetic. "I think I can remember all of it darling. Probably because I'm quite a bit older than you. You were only 25 years old when you left here, your mind hadn't fully developed yet. That's probably why you've been struggling to recall much. I lived for thousands of years as an elf and my memories came back nearly straight away."

"Lady Galadriel tried t show me my past" I whispered

"She did?"

"Yeah in that water basin thing. It was mainly you and dad that I saw. But I also saw how we...died" pain flashed in mum's eyes and her mouth tightened.

"I.I saw the way that dad broke when you died" my throat felt tight. A tear had started to fall down my mum's cheek. "It was because we left. Your Fëa wasn't in Middle Earth anymore. You were ripped apart. That's why you were in pain when the portal opened, wasn't it?"

Mum nodded, another tear slipping down her face. I felt myself tear up along with her. "Are you still in pain?" She had been so utterly distraught when I last saw her I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"It does" she conceded but then a hopeful glint shone in her eye, "But I know that it won't last forever because I know that we will see your father again. And my _little boy_ " her voice nearly broke when she spoke about my brother.

"They're alive" I don't know if I asked it as a question or said it as a statement but a torrent of emotion bubbled up in me. My family were alive and they were out there somewhere. The thought of seeing them again was nearly overwhelming. Would I even be able to recognise my own twin brother? Are we even considered twins anymore? he was now a lot older than I was. Once he was the older one by 15 minutes now it was more like 1500 years.

"Yes, they are" mum gave me a watery smile.

"I'm still not sure who they are in this world though" I confessed. I felt awful that after all this time I was still none the wiser. Even with all my new memories I'd somehow managed to not learn their names. "I only know them as Theodore and Lachlan"

Mum seemed shocked for a moment. Then she looked at me with sympathy and a smile. Her hand caressed my cheek "Oh my sweet girl." she breathed "You are Liriel Thranduiliel and your brother is Legolas Thranduilion"

My heart skipped a beat.

"And your father is Thranduil Oropherion, King of the woodland realm"

_Surprise! Though I'm sure a lot of you had already guessed who papa Orrison was. I loved laying all the little clues in the other chapters. I nearly wrote the name Legolas in one of the other chapters and I had to delete it before I accidentally posted it lol. _

_So the name Orrison was chosen because of Thranduil really. His last name is Oropherion which is basically Oropherson so I shortened it to Orrison. I could have gone for Oroson, I guess, but Orrison is a real last name and sounds more realistic._

_It also seems that reunions are going to be right around the corner. Lighthouse- Lucy Spraggan saura deleb uuan- Putrid loathsome monster Im gamp nín dond dad le lanc rista hûn_ I will claw my fist down their throat and rip out their heart_


	25. Where you invest your love

I have written a one shot for Thranduil's POV of how Leah and her mother died the first time if you want to give that a read. s/13380992/1/Little-Love

Thranduil was my dad!

That's just fucking mental. I mean, there had been a small part of me that had guessed it was him. But I had thought myself childish for thinking so. Obviously I was just wishing for fairytales. When mum had said the name my breath caught in my throat.

After scouring through my memories I realised that it made sense. Like a missing puzzle piece finally slipping into place. In my memories dad had been called a lord by others and he'd worn a crown. And he had always been mum's favourite character. Along with Legolas. Does that count as nepotism?

Oh my god Lachlan was Legolas!

How is that fair? He gets to be a cool elf warrior, all tall and aloof, whereas I was short as hell and wasn't great at fighting. How would I ever compare? I would have to assert my dominance when I finally saw him. Resort to calling him by the nickname I'd used as a child. He would forever be known as Legolassie or simply Lassie.

I had no idea why my first instinct when finding out my twin brother was alive was to tease him. It was probably the shock of finding out. Like when manly men start getting emotional and result to insulting their friends instead. Not that I was manly, or a man, but the sudden emotion that gripped me was so fierce. Thinking about how Legolas would react to the nickname had made me laugh and helped me to cope with the overwhelming feelings.

They were so close. We simply had to get through Mirkwood and I would see them again. Would they look the same? I doubted my dad would have changed much because he was already a full grown elf. But Legolas was a child last time I saw him. He would look completely different. Would I be able to recognise him? Or would he be able to recognise me for that matter? My stomach tightened at the thought of my own family staring at me as if I was a stranger.

I also decided that under no circumstances would any of the dwarves find out. Obviously they would find out eventually but hopefully I would have thought of a way to soften the blow by then. The dwarves had warmed up to me-liked me even. If they found out that I was in fact Thranduil's daughter I don't know what they'd think. I especially did not want Thorin finding out. What if he decided that I was no longer worthy of courting Kili? I was the daughter of an enemy King after all.

Holy shit I just realised that that makes me royalty!

I was a princess. Princess Liriel Thranduiliel. It sounded far more grand than Leah Orrison did. This whole time I thought I was punching above my station because Kili was a dwarven prince. Now it turned out we were on equal footing. Both the second born heir to the throne. The thought made my headspin.

I'm surprised I got any sleep last night with the way my thoughts were spinning around my head. Mum's presence probably helped some. Her warm, familiar weight next to me was the stability I needed. I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in ages. Soft sunlight streamed in through the curtains on the window. The air was warm against my skin. A welcome feeling after spending so long outside. Sleeping on a proper mattress also did wonders for my back. I felt kinda bad that I'd let everyone else sleep on the floor. Not enough to give up my bed though. I was a smart woman. no elf. Elleth? Well the terminology doesn't matter, all that matters is that I wasn't losing this bed for any reason.

Mum and I were one of the first to wake up. We wandered into the other parts of the house, discovering sleeping dwarves as we went. Some parts also contained cows and sheep, all chilling in their own little spaces. When we got the sitting room we found Gandalf staring into the dwindling coals of the fire. He heard us come in and turned in our direction.

"Ah good morning, your highness," he said, directed towards my mum.

I looked around quickly, hoping no one else was around to hear him say that. No one appeared to be around but I couldn't be sure. Bilbo had the ring now, he could be snooping around any corner.

That was mean though. I shouldn't think so low of Bilbo, he wouldn't snoop just for the sake of it. I was just being paranoid.

"Mithrandir, it is probably best if we stick to just Elinneth while we're around company" said mum.

Gandalf nodded "Yes, yes you are quite right. Elinneth it is"

He stood up from his seat by the fire as we approached him. "Leah, my dear. It seems as though the mystery of you is finally revealing itself. I trust your naneth has brought you up to speed"

"She definitely has"

"I never met you during your first life. That is why I did not recognise you for who you are. Though I have since become acquainted with your brother, Legolas" said Gandalf. There was a joy in his eyes as he looked down upon me.

I heard mum gasp beside me "My boy, Legolas, how is he?" mum's voice was tight.

Gandalf turned back towards my mum, a twinkle still shining in his eye. "Oh Elinneth, my dear, he has grown into a fine ellon. Strong and kind-hearted. And his skill with a bow seems quite unparalleled."

Mum's eyes shone with unshed tears, yet a proud smile spread across her face. Gandalf grasped mum's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. Then his smile dropped slightly.

"Now" he sighed, "We must face the task of introducing ourselves to our host. I fear that he will not be welcoming of us. I have been mulling over the best way to approach him"

Mum did not seem too fazed by the task "I've been Beorn's guest for some months now. I think I may be able to sway his favour towards you"

While mum and Gandalf began discussing the best way to introduce themselves, my attention had been diverted elsewhere. A faint mewling had me swinging my head around. Trying to pinpoint the sound. From behind one of the overly large chairs, the sound arose again. Mum and Gandalf didn't seem to need me so I decided that I wouldn't be missed if I investigated. I slipped past mum, who only gave me a questioning glance before turning back. Behind the chair was a pile of fabric scraps. They had been formed into a tiny bed of some sort. In the centre sat a very fluffy mass, stretching and yawning. I gasped when I saw it. It was a kitten. Old enough to not have to be with its mother but still tiny. The fur was a deep orange and had faint stripes trailing across its back.

"Hello" I breathed "Aren't you gorgeous"

Kneeling down, I slowly reached my hand towards it. Letting it sniff my hand. It looked at me apprehensively before leaning closer and sniffing my hand. Its little nose twitching as it did. Then it deemed me worthy and rubbed its face against my hand. A cat version of a hug. A blessing.

Invitation accepted, I stroked its tiny head. The fur was so soft and I could hear it purring. I couldn't stay here forever though. Mum and Gandalf had reached a consensus and I could hear others stirring. With great reluctance, I made to get up. When I stopped stroking it, the tiny creature looked offended. It made to follow me.

"Oh i can't just leave you here can I?" I smiled, scooping the kitten into my arms. It immediately began to snuggle my face. "I'm gonna call you Clarence" I muttered kissing the top of his head.

My awful pet naming skills shone through with full force. One time Anika asked me to help her name a fish and the best I could come up with was Maurice. Which in my opinion is a perfect name for a fish but no one else agreed.

When I stood up, I realised that more people had found their way into the sitting room. My eyes met Thorin's and I saw the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. "Of course you would find an animal to bother"

Mum turned towards me, laughing at Thorin's words. "Yes that would be Leah through and through."

"I'm not bothering him" I said "He loves me" Clarence purred as if to confirm his love for me. Mum simply shook her head.

They waited until everyone was awake before going out to see Beorn. Mum had told Gandalf that bringing the dwarves out in groups of two was a rather terrible idea. It made Gandalf frown but he conceded that we should try a different way. I also told them that they shouldn't say 'at your service' to him. I remembered in the book he had gotten annoyed and kept saying that there was no service the dwarves could do for him. Everyone seemed a bit confused because that was just how they introduced themselves in conversation. However they reluctantly agreed. Even if Dori muttered under his breath about the 'impropriety' of it all.

It was decided that mum, Gandalf, Bilbo and I would be the first ones to go out and greet Beorn. We were the most friendly, I guess. He wasn't a fan of dwarves after all so it wasn't wise for one of them to be the first person Beorn saw.

The sound of an axe dropping and wood splitting, alerted us to the presence of our host. Bilbo was rather nervous beside me. His nose was twitching in the way he did when he was anxious about something. Conversely, I was beyond excited. Bouncing on the balls of my feet. The guy was like 9ft tall, could turn into a huge bear and loved animals. He would, undoubtedly, be one of the coolest people I have ever met.

Clarence was still in my arms as we made our way outside. Bilbo had gotten a bit panicked when he saw and told me I should put him down. He was scared that I would offend Beorn by touching his animals. I guess he had a point. However, Clarence wasn't the most co-operative of cats. He resolutely refused to be put down. It seemed that I would be his new perch for the time being.

We left through the front door and wound our way around the house. Mum and I were at the front with Gandalf and Bilbo trailing behind. As he had been rudely locked out of his own house, Beorn had decided to busy himself with chopping wood. It took a moment for my mind to comprehend the sheer is of him. Knowing he was around 9ft tall did not prepare me for actually seeing a 9ft tall man. I would probably only reach his hip. Even the axe he wielded was taller than me. My mouth dropped open in wonder. I quickly shut it as Clarence headbutted my chin.

"Good morning, Beorn" said mum, cheerily.

Beorn swung his axe down, cleaving a log in two. He left the axe buried in the tree stump below and looked towards mum. Then he raised an eyebrow when he saw me.

"Good morning, Elinneth." he walked towards us before sinking to one knee. Until he was almost eye level with me. I felt a little self-conscious under his gaze and I stroked Clarence's face so that I had something to do with my hands. Beorn smiled at the gesture "Who is our guest?"

"This is my daughter, Leah. The one I was telling you about" mum said, resting her arm across my shoulders.

Beorn broke into a grin "So you have found each other. That is good." he said "Your mother has told me all about you, little elfling"

I let the 'little elfling' comment slide. Even if I told him I wasn't in fact a child I doubt he would believe me.

Beorn's gaze drifted to the orange fluff ball in my arms. "It seems you have made a friend" Clarence responded to Beorn with a mixture of meows and purrs. Beorn looked to be listening very intently. Then he chuckled at whatever the cat said to him. "Usually I let my animals name themselves. However this little kitten has said that he will not respond to anything other than the name you have provided for it."

"He just looked like a Clarence to me" I smiled shyly.

"I like those who show kindness to animals, little one" said Beorn. Then he straightened up to his full height, looking at something behind us.

"It seems that there are more people to introduce" Beorn huffed.

oOo

Beorn was not at all pleased about the idea of 13 dwarves staying in his house. However, mum and I managed to soften the blow. In the end, it was the presence of orcs that caused Beorn to let us stay. He despised those creatures above all others and would rather deny them their prey than give it to them. Most breathed a sigh of relief when Beorn agreed to house us. Though some were still on edge, not trusting the giant man at all.

He provided us with breakfast at his very large table. My feet swung below me, very far off the ground. There was all sorts of food spread out before us. Breads, fruits, cheeses. It felt good to eat proper food again. Not just whatever we could forage or hunt at the time. You should never underestimate the power of good bread. Of course there was no meat though. Beorn was a vegetarian after all. I could see the dwarves internally moaning at that fact. Thankfully, none of them spoke up or we would probably get chucked out.

Kili sat next to me, happily eating a honey cake. Whenever I looked at him I felt my heart beat pick up. The need to tell him about my dad was so overwhelming. Yet at the same time, it terrified me. How would he react? Would he think differently of me knowing that my dad was King Thranduil? If my dad had been anyone else, I would have told Kili straight away. He would be so happy for me. It felt weird to keep this a secret from him. Also, Kili could tell that there was something I was hiding. He raised an eyebrow at me when my heartbeat kept picking up.

We were to stay here for at least a week. To gather our strength and restock our dwindling supplies. Beorn very kindly offered to give us some supplies to take with us through Mirkwood. I was very grateful for the rest. Having to walk for miles everyday took a lot out of a girl.

During the rest of the day everyone decided to better acquaint themselves with the surrounding area. Beorn himself gave me and Bilbo a tour of his lands. One of the things he showed us was his honey pastures. I won't lie the giant bees freaked the shit out of me. They can be cute, from a distance, but as soon as they started flying too close I would nope out of there. Beorn laughed at my distress and told me that there was nothing to be afraid of. One flew onto the end of his finger and he held it out to me.

"They are quite friendly little one, nothing to fear" he grabbed my hand with his free one and placed the humongous bee right into the middle of it.

At first I was not a fan. The buzzing sounded aggressive and my mind was telling me that it was a threat. When it didn't do anything sinister, I managed to calm down somewhat. It was kinda fluffy and seemed to be a happy bee. The bee stayed in my palm for a few more seconds before flying off to a flower.

Even though I knew that they were friendly it still took a lot not to flinch back from them when they flew too close. Me and flying insects would never get on it seemed.

The day wore on and soon the sky was a rich amber colour. We came back inside and Beorn offered to have water brought in for a bath. I nearly cried at the thought of a hot bath. None of the others got such an offer. Instead Beorn simply pointed to the river outside and told the dwarves to use that.

I could have declined graciously but instead I laughed at the dwarves insulted reactions and followed after Beorn. He had buckets of water brought up and heated by a fire. The buckets were brought in by and assortment of animals. Mostly dogs but there was also a cow and a sheep. It was a strange sight seeing a bunch of animals carry a swinging bucket in their mouths.

The bath was a very large wooden tub that Beorn had placed in mine and mum's room. He upturned one of the buckets to create a step for me. I thanked him profusely as he left the room: followed by a train of animals. Clarence had, reluctantly, been placed on the bed. He only surrendered when Beorn had a word with him.

As soon as Beorn left I made sure that the door was fully closed. There wasn't a lock unfortunately but I trusted the dwarves not to come barging in. Once I was certain that the door wouldn't swing open, I quickly undressed and climbed into the bath. I sighed as my body sunk under the surface. After spending so long in the cold, the heat from the water was like heaven.

I used the soap that the elves had given me. The smell was divine. So much so that I may have been overzealous with how much I used. I know I should be saving it but I got carried away with wanting to smell nice. The water went cold faster than I appreciated. After a little while I reluctantly got out. I changed into a clean pair of leggings and donned my sports bra. My hair needed to dry a bit before I put one of my shirts on, so I sat at the edge of the bed dabbing it with a towel.

A knock at the door had me dropping my hands from my head. "Leah, are you still in there?" came Kili's voice from the other side of the door.

Now, back in my world I was in no way indecent. Many people wore a sports bra and leggings on a regular basis. In this world however it was probably obscene. Yet I also thought it was the perfect way to get back at Kili for the other day. He thought he was being clever, coming in to the camp without a shirt. Winking at me. Let's see how he reacts when it's the other way around. My boobs looked pretty good in this sports bra, if I do say so myself. Perhaps he would think the same.

Pulling my shoulders back, I made my way over to the door. I opened it just enough so that Kili could see me but not enough that anyone else would be able to if they were nearby.

"Yes, I'm here" I said with what I hoped was a dazzling smile.

I don't think I'd ever seen Kili's eyes widen so much. His gaze drifted across me and still suddenly when he reached my boobs. Then his cheeks deepened to a bright red and I felt his pulse racing a mile a minute. Quickly his eyes flashed back to mine.

"What did you need Kili?" I asked, as if nothing was wrong.

"Er. Bom. Bombur said that was ready" stuttered Kili, trying very hard to maintain eye contact with me. He wasn't the best at it.

"Oh good, I'm starving" I said "I'll just be a moment"

Then I closed the door effectively shutting out the very shocked Kili. I lent back against the closed door. Holy shit I can't believe I just did that! I've never really been one to be outwardly flirty. Some people managed to do it with ease, whereas I would usually flounder. To the point that it was too awkward to witness. This time seemed like a success though, if Kili's reaction was anything to go by. His heartbeat still pounded on beside mine, still not having lessened despite me no longer being in front of him.

It made me smirk as I went to throw on the first shirt I could find. Kili was still there when I opened the door back up. He seemed to have composed himself some and smiled back at me. I swear I saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes when I came out fully dressed. He offered me his arm and I looped mine through it. Then he led me towards the dining room, where the loud voices of the company were coming from.

oOo

It had been several days since we had arrived at Beorn's. The days were filled with preparing, training and a well deserved rest. A lot more smiles had returned to the dwarves faces. Without the looming threat of an orc attack, they could finally relax and not have to be constantly vigilant.

I was currently sat in the grass surrounded by dogs. Most of them were laying on their backs soaking up the sunshine. Two of them, however, were battling to sit on my lap. They nearly knocked me over in their attempt. I could hear Beorn laughing good naturedly behind me. He was sitting on a bench whitling something out of wood. The dogs had been following him but had moved onto me when he sat down. Clarence now sat beside him, having vacated my lap when the dogs arrived.

"I only have so many hands" I said, while almost getting headbutted by the two dogs.

"Rana, Leif give the girl some space" said Beorn, clearly amused.

Rana immediately backed off and lay her head in my lap instead. Leif did the same but only after giving my face a quick lick.

The sound of footsteps alerted me to someone approaching. When I looked up, I saw that the footsteps had belonged to none other than Kili. He smiled down at me and my pile of dogs.

"You look like you're having fun" he said

"I got accosted by dogs"

"I see" he laughed, then he extended a hand down towards me. "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

I nodded before reaching for Kili's hand and grasping it firmly. Then he hoisted me up, being careful not to jostle the dogs too much. They let out a little groan as I moved them, not happy that I was leaving. A few of the other dogs lifted their heads up at me as if asking where I was going.

"I'm not going too far, don't worry." I told them.

Then I allowed Kili to lead me away. We walked through Beorn's gardens, marveling at the beautiful flowers. Dori was sitting on a bench next to Ori. He was fussing about the younger dwarf but Ori simply wanted to write in his book. Dwalin, Gloin and Fili were sparring in the middle of an open field. Oin watched on, while he prepared poultices from Beorn's herb garden. I wasn't sure where everyone else was. Probably inside somewhere.

Kili guided me past everyone else. He walked until we couldn't see them anymore. Towards a copse of trees where you could hear the sound of the Anduin river rushing past. Where was this boy leading me?

Through some trees we came to a little meadow. It was full of wildflowers of all shapes, colours and sizes. In the middle of it sat a large blanket and a basket of food.

"I thought you would like a picnic" said Kili, looking at me to gauge my reaction.

"Who knew you could be so romantic" I said, a smile stretched across my face.

"I'm always romantic"

Then I leaned forward and captured his lips with my own. He gasped slightly before deepening the kiss. Grabbing the back of my head so that he could tilt my head to a better angle. My own hands found their way into Kili's hair. He made a rough sound at the back of his throat when I tugged slightly.

We pulled away, gasping. I smiled giddily at Kili and he did the same back. His eyes roamed over my face.

"Sasakhabiya abnâmul, amrâlimê" he whispered

His words took my breath away and I wasn't even sure what most of them meant. He could have been saying that I looked like a tree but I still would have smiled at him. "Did I ever tell you how much I love it when you speak Khuzdul?"

"No you haven't but I'll keep that in mind," he said with a heated gaze before gently kissing me again. "Ghivashel sanâzyung" he whispered into my mouth.

His words made me deepen the kiss once more.

oOo

At one point we actually managed to break apart for long enough to sit down on the blanket. Kili had brought a mixture of foods with him. Including: cheese scones, grapes, bread and many cakes. Beorn was quite the baker it seemed. His specialty being honey cakes. Which Kili was a particular fan off; he had a very sweet tooth. Kili had also managed to get two bottles of honey mead. It was rather tasty, if not a little strong.

"Something has been bothering you, Leah" said Kili. He was stretched out next to me, a bottle of mead in his hand. His face was kind and I could see the concern in his eyes. I hadn't been hiding my worry very well it seemed. "You found your mother. I thought you would be over the moon. But it looks like something has been weighing heavy on your mind"

I looked down, not able to keep looking Kili in the eyes. He'd be able to see straight through me if I lied and said nothing was wrong. My hands drifted towards the ground, picking up flowers. They seemed to move of their own volition and began to twist the flowers together.

"I am happy that I found mum. So happy." I braided the flowers together, adding more as I went "It's just… she told me things...about me and it's just _huge_ and so hard to wrap my head around." I realised that I was actually making a flower crown. Mum used to make them for me when we would go for nature walks.

"You can tell me anything, Leah. You know that right?" Kili covered my hand with his. I looked up to him and met his gaze. His face was so open and earnest. I knew that he was being 100% genuine.

"I know. I want to tell you so badly but at the same time I'm terrified. What if I tell you and you start thinking different of me?" Why did things have to be so complicated?

"Don't be foolish, nothing would ever make me think differently of you." He said with a smile, "I mean you're already an elf from another world who also brought someone back from the dead. Is this new information anymore outlandish than that?"

"I guess it's not as crazy as that" I conceded with a small smile.

Kili looked like he was waiting with bated breath. I'd made him nervous now because I wouldn't tell him what was wrong. If he was anything like me he was currently coming up with a ton of worst case scenarios right now. I should give him at least some information so he wouldn't carry on freaking out.

"It was about my family." I said, returning to my flower crown. It was nearly finished and I only needed to add a few more flowers in. "My dad and my brother. They're alive and there's a very big chance we will meet them on this journey."

Kili turned so that he faced me more "Seriously! Mahal that is amazing Leah. You get to see your family again" Then his eyebrows drew together in thought "Does that mean that you're a woodland elf then?"

"Yes it does" I muttered "That doesn't change the way you think of me does it?"

Kili quickly rectified his expression so that it was happy "Of course not. You're still you, even if you did once live in a tree"

"I didn't live in a tree, you loser" I said giving him a shove.

I looked down at the masterpiece in my hand. The flower crown was complete. I didn't know the names of the flowers but I thought they looked pretty. Reds and blues. Delicate white petals and sprigs of green. I turned to Kili with a smile and kneeled up. Then I placed the crown on top of his head. I heard his breath catch.

"You look gorgeous" I added, positioning it so it sat perfectly.

There was a faint blush on Kili's cheeks when I put the crown on his head. His eyes were warm and full of love as he looked up at me. "I will treasure it always." he said, his voice low.

Then one hand grabbed my face and the other held my hip. He brought me closer to him and kissed me.

_This is only a filler chapter and it isn't the best. I know this isn't the chapter that people wanted but I've been rather ill for the past week. It's also my birthday tomorrow so I've got a few things planned out this week. That means less time writing. The reunion was supposed to be in this chapter but I really wanted to get something posted. It will definitely be in the next one._

_Sasakhabiya abnâmul, amrâlimê- You look beautiful my love_  
_Ghivashel sanâzyung- Treasure of treasures, true love_


	26. Leave it to the land

After a week at Beorn's we realised that we had begun to overstay our welcome. Well the dwarves were at least. I'm pretty sure Beorn wanted to keep me here indefinitely. I was a cute little elfling that helped him out with the animals. He also liked Bilbo and tended to call him 'bunny'. Much to Bilbo's chagrin. Though he did not mind that Beorn was trying to fatten him up. It was the first time in around two months that Bilbo finally got to eat like a hobbit. All seven meals a day. I honestly couldn't tell you where he stored it all. Everytime I looked over at him he had some form of food in his hand. He could have been overcompensating after so long with little food or that was just the hobbit way.

Beorn very graciously offered us some supplies to replace the ones that were ruined when we crossed the misty mountains. Bombur was very grateful when he got a new pot. His other one was dreadfully bent and battered it barely held soup properly. There was also several blankets handed out as a lot of ours were ripped or covered in whatever the goblin's had on their hands. I didn't ponder long on that thought. Clothes were also repaired during our stay. The cloak that Fili and Kili had gotten me for my birthday had multiple claw marks criss-crossing down it. Mum had helped me to sew it back up again.

Mum and I managed to convince Beorn to give us more food. Mainly dried fruit and nuts. Something that would give us energy in our time of need. The journey through Mirkwood could take around two weeks and nothing in the forest was edible. The dwarves didn't know that in the story and had nearly starved in the forest. I was vehemently against that happening. A girl needs her food. Thankfully I had my lembas bread still at the bottom of my pack. They may be crushed but I'm sure lembas crumbs would still do the same job.

Beorn lent us some ponies to take us to the borders of Mirkwood. We really didn't want to be on foot with a roving orc pack on our tail. However, we were not allowed to take the ponies any further. Beorn would not risk his animals lives by going into that forest. He would sooner kill us all than let that happen. I'd rather not risk the wrath of an enormous bear man if I could.

I was stroking my pony on his nose and giving him an apple while everyone else was preparing to set off around me. Once more my horse was slightly larger than the dwarves. Mum and Gandalf had been given full sized horses as their legs were a lot longer than everyone else's. My horse's name was Sigor and his coat consisted of brown and white splodges. He was decidedly more energetic than Mithiel had been. Already, he was tapping his hooves as if he was eager to get going.

I was too distracted by the sounds of everyone around me that I didn't notice someone approach me from behind. That was until two extremely large hands wrapped themselves around my middle and hauled me upwards. I let out a surprised yelp before I realised what was happening. Beorn was lifting me up into the air and placing me onto my pony.

"I could have done that myself you know" I said trying to orient myself properly on my horse.

"You were taking too long little elfling. All of your friends were already saddled up" Beorn said with a laugh.

He was mostly correct as nearly everyone had climbed onto a pony. However there were a few people still milling around so I was nowhere near the last one. Beorn just thought it was funny to lift me up like a child. I had informed him that I was in fact an adult elf but he simply refused to believe me. Actually he full on laugh in my face when I told him. Then he patted me on the head and told me to run along. Fili had been witness to it and had refused to let me live it down. He kept trying to call me little elfling and pat me on the head. It often resulted in a swift kick to the shins on my part.

Beorn bent down to pick something up off the ground. When he stood back up there was an orange ball of floof in his arms. "Clarence would like to say goodbye before you go"

He offered me the cat and I took him into my arms. The boy would not stop meowing and rubbing his face against me. I gave the top of his head a kiss. "I've got to go now pudding" I said into his fur. He then meowed very loudly to show that he was very much against that idea. "I'll come back and visit I promise"

"Clarence is not the only one who will miss your company little one. You and your mother are welcome back here anytime you wish" said Beorn, grabbing a very reluctant Clarence. His tiny claws clung onto my shirt and I had to extricate him or he'd get stuck.

Then he turned to Bilbo who had just climbed onto his own pony, albeit begrudgingly. "You are welcome too little bunny. Perhaps I can fatten you up some more with my honey cakes"

Bilbo looked a little uncertain, not sure how to take Beorn's comment. "Er, yes, thank you. I shall take you up on the offer after this journey is concluded"

Beorn nodded. Then he stood tall to his full height and looked everyone in the eye. "These ponies will carry you to the boundary and no further. Lest you wish a swift death" His intimidating demeanour was in no way diminished by the crying kitten in his arms.

"The ponies will be returned to you, Master Beorn" said Thorin from the front of our congregation. His expression was mostly polite but I could detect a hint of annoyance at Beorn's threat. He didn't take kindly to people threatening his company no matter what the circumstances.

Beorn grimaced at Thorin. I could tell that he really did not think much of Thorin's word despite his rank. King or not, Beorn did not like dwarves.

"You have our word Beorn" said Mum, sliding her horse up alongside where Beorn was standing. On her horse she was nearly eye level with him.

Beorn turned towards her, looking into her eyes. He was infinitely less hostile towards mum than he was towards Thorin. Mum was trusted a hell of a lot more than he was. It probably helped that she had been his guest for several months.

"Thank you, Elenneth" said Beorn, placing a hand on mum's shoulder. He prefered to use her elven name. "I wish you luck in your travels and I hope you can find the rest of your family"

I saw Thorin gaze questioningly at my mum when the concept of our other family was brought up. Quickly, I busied myself with picking up my horse's reins. That way I would not see if Thorin's inquiring eyes swept over me. My poker face was terrible and he'd definitely see me acting awkward. He wasn't stupid, at some point he would notice that I acted strangely whenever my family was brought up. So far I'd managed to avoid him a lot of the time. He often preferred solitude anyway so it wasn't too difficult. I just did not want to know how he would react when he found out.

We set off not long after that. Gandalf led the way on his full sized horse. The idea of Gandalf having to ride a pony flitted through my head once or twice and I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. He would be all bunched up with his knees nearly by his head. A majestic steed for the dignified wizard.

Kili caught me suppressing laugh and asked me what was so funny. I leaned over as far as I could and whispered the wondrous thought. He also found it to be quite funny and laughed out loud. It drew a couple of people's gazes but I refused to tell them what it was that was so funny.

Our journey was blissfully orc free. There were times when I thought I heard a fell screech on the air but it was often far away and cut off almost immediately. Only mum and I seemed to notice the sounds anyway. The others gave no indication that they had heard anything untoward. I decided not to bring it up. Beorn was patrolling around us and would dispatch any creature with ill intentions. We need not worry ourselves.

It took a couple of hours before a great treeline appeared in front of us. Stretching across the horizon with no end in sight. The closer we got the more on edge I felt. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was like an evil whisper was caressing my skin. A distinct wrongness began to permeate my body. Even under the blazing light of the sun above, dark shadows twisted beneath the boughs of the trees. It felt like a great sickness lay upon the forest, threatening to infect all those that dared enter its depths.

The sight and made me angry. A twisted feeling of nostalgia gripped me and made me feel sick to my stomach. This was once my home. I could remember it. Bright and green and healthy. More of my memories returned everyday. Legolas and I used to climb the trees in this forest. Racing to see who could reach the top first.

When we were children, the forest was still called the Greenwood. Now it was a decimated husk of what it once was. Instead of swaths of green, everything beneath the canopy seemed to be a sickly grey. A disease clung to all life within it, choking all that once flourished there. Beorn had warned us not to eat and drink from anything in the forest. Now we were here you could easily see why.

An odd scent blew from the wood. It was cloying smell that seemed to cling to your throat as you breathed it in. Weirdly, it was sickly sweet. However there was a definite undercurrent of rot. Like someone had sprayed perfume onto a corpse to try and mask its scent. Only it wasn't doing a very good job.

I stood in front of the trees with my hands balled into fists. So tight my nails dug painfully into my palms. My jaw was clenched tightly and a pain had started to develop at the back of my throat. The kind of pain that usually signalled that I was about to break down into angry tears. But I didn't want to break. Not with everyone around. It took everything in me to keep my emotions in check. However, despite my best efforts, a tear still rolled down my cheek.

I didn't notice someone come up behind me until I felt a comforting weight on my shoulders. Looking up quickly, I found my mum peering down at me sadly. Her hands were resting on my shoulders. Hastily, I wiped the tear from my face. Not wanting her to see how badly I was affected.

"I know how you're feeling darling" whispered mum, so that only I could hear "We just have to get through this"

There was an immense sadness in her eyes and for the first time I really saw her age. Her face was the same but her eyes spoke of untold years. She had seen this forest in its prime. Called it home for thousands of years. However, just like me, she hadn't been there to watch the evil spread. It was truly an unsettling difference from the last time we were in this forest until now.

I nodded my head to mum to show that I had heard her. With how angry I was I didn't trust my voice. It would undoubtedly crack and spur on more tears. I took several deep breaths and tried to steady myself.

Gandalf walked closer to the trees. Within the gloom lay a beaten path, snaking its way further into the wood. The elven road.

"The Elven Gate" he said, walking into an opening in the trees "Here lies our path through Mirkwood"

All the dwarves had climbed down from their ponies and had begun to unsaddle their bags. "Gandalf this forest feels sick. Are you sure there is no other way" said Bilbo, coming to stand near to Gandalf.

"Not unless we go two hundred miles north, or twice that distance south. This is the quickest way to get to our destination." Gandalf began to walk under the ruin of an arch way.

I made to follow him, knowing what lay within the entrance of the forest. The air changed as I walked beneath the canopy. It was stale and hung heavy. Gone was the freshness of grass and in its place was the reek of decay. My nose curled at the smell.

A few paces under the trees and I saw what I was looking for. I strode faster past Gandalf until I stood directly in front of it. It was a statue. The forest had tried to reclaim it after all these years. Vines and leaves twisted around it until all the was visible was its face. The face of my mother. Or a close approximation at least. It wasn't the most accurate. Next to it stood a much smaller statue. Only coming up to the other statues hip. It took me a moment of confusion before I realised that it was a depiction of me. I had been expecting the statue of my mum but seeing a figure of young me had thrown me off.

These had been made after we died. Dad must have had them commissioned and placed them at the entrance to his realm. The first thing travelers would see. However, like the area around it, they had fallen to ruin. My hand reached up to trace the face of mum's statue

Gandalf had made it over to where I was standing. He approached the statue with clear apprehension. With an unexpected care he began to remove the vines from the statue. For a second I wasn't sure why he bothered. He must have known who the statue was of. She stood several paces behind us with a concerned expression on her face.

I dropped my hand as Gandalf removed more vines. Once he had unveiled the whole torso I remembered why he had done so. It had been defaced with graffiti. The eye of Sauron had been painted onto the statues chest. I heard Gandalf gasp beside me. My hand reached out to touch the painted eye.

The anger I had been trying so hard to control reared its ugly head once more. My teeth clenched painfully. The unrelenting stone scraped against my fingers as I drew them into a fist. This was done by orcs, I knew it. How dare they. Killing us once was not enough, they also had to defile our memory. I wanted to scream. To take a knife and ram it through the head of any orc I could find.

My anger built up so fast that I didn't see my hand glowing until it was too late. Light exploded outwards from where my hand was resting. It tore through the stone reducing it to rubble. Dust and rocks rained down upon us and we had to step backwards. Where once two statues stood now there was only a pile of stones.

Oops.

I looked down at the offending hand. It appeared innocent as can be, no sign of that destructive magic anywhere.

It wasn't the first time my magic had reacted to my emotions. However it was the first time that anger had brought it out. All the other times it had been panic and fear. I needed to learn more control or I could end up hurting someone when I got angry.

The others had come running at the sound of the explosion. They gathered around with a mixture of shock, confusion and anger across their faces. The anger was mainly coming from Thorin who did not seem impressed by my little display.

"What in Durin's name did you do?" Said Thorin, annoyance plaguing his voice.

"I'm sorry." I said, dumbly. "I didn't mean to". There was no room for me to argue really. Thorin had every right to be annoyed at me.

"That was not the wisest of actions Leah" said Gandalf, sounding quite tired "If the woodland elves were to find this, it may enrage them"

"That's all we need" grumbled Thorin, I was definitely not in his good books right now.

Mum came up behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders once more. A show of solidarity. "Now, now I don't think it will come to that." said mum "Leah and I are originally from here. There will still be elves that recognise me. I could probably sway their ire enough to let you continue on your journey"

Yes I'm sure there will definitely be elves that recognise mum. You don't really forget the face of an important political figure in your land. Even if we've been 'dead' for 1500 years, elven memory is quite impressive. Who knows what their reaction would be to seeing their late Queen. I'm imagining screaming, maybe fainting if we're lucky.

Thorin seemed to be weighing the merit of mum's word. Then his eyebrows drew together as if a sudden realisation had hit him. "You are woodland elves" the loathing in his voice was evident. I shied away slightly from the distaste in Thorin expressed. He was completely well founded in his hatred of the elves of Mirkwood but I didn't like it when it was levelled at me.

"Yes we were" said mum, not backing down from Thorin's gaze "Though over 1500 years have passed since we last stepped foot here"

I had a feeling mum mentioned the time since we were here as a way of hinting that we were not involved with anything that happened since then. Namely Erebor. Thorin seemed to see it that way too by the way his expression smoothed out into one more neutral.

"Now that we have that all sorted, I fear I must leave you" said Gandalf, who began walking back out of the trees.

There were several protests as people tried to follow him. "Gandalf you can't really be leaving us?" said a bemused Bilbo.

Gandalf was nearly to his horse now. Thankfully, with all the commotion I made, they hadn't unsaddled it yet. "I would not leave unless it was absolutely necessary"

Gandalf gave Bilbo an appraising look. As if he was finally seeing him properly. "You have changed Bilbo Baggins. You are not the same hobbit that left the shire"

Bilbo looked down and began to fiddle with something in his pocket. "I meant to tell you about something that I found… while in the goblin tunnels"

Bilbo was talking about the ring. After everything that happened, it had been easy to look over the fact that Bilbo had the One ring in his possession. At some point I would have to tell him what it was. Maybe if Gandalf knew about it earlier they could find a way to be rid of it quicker.

"What did you find?" Gandalf sounded suspicious. Then again I feel that there is not a great many 'nice' things for one to find in a goblin tunnel.

Bilbo hesitated before shoving the ring back into his pocket "...my courage" he said after a little while.

Gandalf seemed a little relieved at Bilbo's admission though there was still a hint of suspicion. "Good, good. You will definitely need it for what is to come".

Then Gandalf strolled on towards his horse. He looked back once to speak to Thorin "I'll be waiting for you at the overlook, before the slopes of Erebor. Keep the map and key safe. Do not enter that mountain without me." Then he looked over the rest of the company "The air of this forest is rich with illusion it will seek to lead you astray. You must stay on the path or you will be forever lost in its depths." Then Gandalf cast a glance to mum and I "Leah and Ellen are your safest bet to get through this wood alive. They are elves and as such cannot succumb to the effects of this forest. They will undoubtedly remain a voice of reason should your mind start to dull"

It felt like a huge weight had been dumped onto my shoulders. While it was comforting to know that my mind would not be affected, being in charge of keeping everyone on the path was not a light responsibility.

Gandalf began to turn his horse away. However, there were things that I needed to tell him before he left. I should have told him earlier but the explosion kind of distracted me.

"Wait, Gandalf" I shouted, running over to his him.

Gandalf pulled the reins of his horse to stop its momentum. "What is it my dear? I really musn't delay"

I looked over to where everyone else was standing to see if I was out of hearing range. If I spoke quietly enough then the company wouldn't be able to hear me. Though my mum would probably still be able to.

"Gandalf you need to be careful. Your journey will lead you to Dol Guldur" I whispered

"Dol Guldur" said Gandalf, concerned.

"Yes and it's completely overrun with orcs, wargs … and _him"_

Gandalf seemed to know exactly who I was talking about and his eyes widened with fear. "So it is true. He has returned" he whispered, more to himself than anything.

"You should wait until the rest of the white council arrive before you enter or you'll be captured"

"I see"

I swallowed, looking towards Thorin before continuing "Also Thrain is there, in Dol Guldur. He's alive, for now, but he won't be if you get captured"

Gandalf sucked in a sharp breath. For a moment his eyes glistened with unshed tears. "My old friend. All this time I left him for dead" he whispered. Then he turned towards me with a newly determined expression "Thank you, Leah. I will endeavour to help Thrain to the best of my abilities but I cannot promise anything"

"That's all I can ask really" I said, stepping back away from the horse.

Gandalf peered back at the company one last time before urging his horse on "No matter what may come, stay on the path!"

oOo

The forest was awful. Even with my supposed immunity to its effects, I still struggled under the pressing dark of the forest. The air was heavy and thick. I did not feel any relief from breathing it in. It felt like being in an enclosed space with warm recycled air. Just enough oxygen got in to keep me going.

Vines encircled every tree. Strangling, choking. They snaked across the path at odd intervals too and we had to maneuver around them. Darkness pressed in on us from all sides. Sunlight could have been glaring above and we would be none the wiser. Shadows stretched and writhed out of the corners of my eyes. Whenever I would turn to look at it straight on they would disappear.

All in all it was miserable.

The rest of the company was having an even worse time I was. More than half of them had already complained of a headache. They often spoke of eyes following them through the trees but when I looked over I saw nothing. Nausea was another big thing. The very air itself was making a lot of them feel sick. Which is rather a big deal with dwarves as they almost never get ill.

I knew that the sun was setting only because what little light we did have quickly began to fade away. Bleeding into the darkness around us, like ink in water. We weren't anywhere that we could consider sleeping yet. Too many hazards lay on the path; sharp rocks and choking tree roots. That meant that we couldn't stop yet.

I realised then that in order to keep going we needed a light. The dwarves tried to light a torch but as soon as it was lit they were swarmed by strange winged creatures. Either bats or extremely large moths. They had to put it out straight away lest we be overcome.

I looked down at my hands. We could use the light they could produce but I also didn't want to be attacked by bats. On the other hand though, my magic had a tendency to deter foes rather than attract them. It had thrown goblins away from me after all. There was no harm in trying. Well technically there was, being maimed by bats didn't seem like a fun way to go.

Taking a deep, unsatisfying breath, I pooled my magic into my hands. I scrunched my eyes up and held my hands above my head. If anything was to attack then I'd prefer it away from my face. After a few seconds of this I found that nothing nefarious had flown at me from out of the depths. I quickly opened my eyes and gazed up at my hands. They glowed with a brilliant white light and illuminated the path in front of us. The dwarves exclaimed happily.

"Thank Mahal, a can finally see" said Dwalin from behind me. Other dwarves echoed his sentiment.

With a start I noticed that the air around my hands suddenly smelled fresher. Breathing it in was like surfacing from underwater. This revelation felt like a godsend. If my magic could push away the sickness then maybe we would get out of this unscathed. Kili, Bilbo and Bofur were in my immediate vicinity and I heard them suck in air greedily. People further away hadn't reacted though. Which probably meant that if I needed more power if I wanted to help the whole company.

With a little effort, I widened my circle of power. It was difficult to maintain a set distance though. My magic kept stretching back and forth like an elastic band. It either wanted to explode out or rush back in. Concentration was required to keep it in around everyone. If the company stuck close together though, I could provide a bubble of air.

"I can breath. Oh thank Yavanna I can breath" said Bilbo.

"Leah are you doing that?" said Fili, amazement in his voice

"I think so" I said, voice a little wobbly. I wouldn't be able to keep it up indefinitely but I should be able to keep it up for a while if my concentration remained sharp.

I would have to take breaks to conserve my sidled up close to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. His closeness was a comfort. If I were to fall he would be able to catch me. I smiled at him before I began to lead the way down the path.

After around an hour of walking we came across a vaguely flat stretch of road. It would have to do as we were all tired. This forest had a way of sucking all your energy. Everyone collapsed to the ground heavily. Bombur actually toppled over with the force in which he sat down. It took help from Bifur and Bofur to right him again.

Everyone made sure to remain on the path. There would be no venturing off to find a more comfortable spot to sleep. That meant that we had to make do with the unyielding stone beneath them as a bed. Even our bedrolls weren't much good.

My body sunk to the ground towards the middle of the group. Hands still glowing steadily. I didn't want to let up on my magic just yet. It was the only comfort in a forest full of bad. The ring of light managed to encompass the whole company at least. Kili came and sat down beside me, rubbing a hand across my back.

"Please don't overexert yourself Leah. I don't want you to drain all your energy for us" said Kili

I was sat cross-legged with my hands faced palm sized up on my knees. My head drifted to Kili's shoulder as he spoke. "I'm okay for now" I urged "Anyway, it's easier to keep up when I'm not moving" Which was true. Being stationary meant that I didn't need to concentrate as hard on the magic. Though there was a slight tremble seeping into my arms. It wasn't too bad for now but I knew that the longer I kept up the magic the more noticeable it would become.

The company began to talk amicably amongst themselves. After some time breathing in fresh air, they were more or less their usual selves. They told each other stories or sung songs. At one point, though, they had descended into speaking in khuzdul with one another. One person would say something and the rest would laugh uproariously. If I had to guess I'd say that they were telling each other dirty jokes.

Mum raised an amused eyebrow at everyone while Bilbo gazed back and forth confused. Occasionally he would laugh uncertainly, trying to join in on the fun. I was beginning to feel left out.

"I provide you the light from my hands and you repay me by leaving me out of jokes." I said in mock annoyance.

"Well some jokes should nae be heard by such delicate ears lass" laughed Bifur from where he was leaning against a tree. He had been the one who was most involved with the joke telling. Who knows what could have been spilling out of his mouth?

"I don't have delicate ears"

"Of course ye do. All soft and pointy" said Bofur from next to Bifur he had pipe firmly between is teeth. "and anyway I don't think some of the jokes would have worked in Westron. It wouldn't have been as funny"

"Yeah some things sound better in Khuzdul anyway" piped Fili who sat across the other side of the path, nearer to Kili and I "Insults especially sound better"

"That's true" I said without really thinking "I know one Khuzdul insult and it does sound a lot cooler than english ones"

The sudden silence made me realise what I'd just revealed. I looked up and saw the dwarves shocked expressions. With a mixture of anger thrown in.

"How do ye know any of our language, lass" grumbled Gloin, not seeming very pleased at all.

My face heated up under the dwarves scrutiny and I looked down at my hands. Which was a mistake as the light was rather blinding and hurt my eyes. "Well in the story from my world there were a couple of Khuzdul phrases that were translated"

I heard dwalin scoff from somewhere behind me "I'll believe it when I hear it"

"Yeah I'm curious as to what insults ye know" said Bifur who seemed a lot more excited than anyone else about my knowing Khuzdul.

Kili was looking at me expectantly too. He had no idea what I was going to say either. Though, he wasn't surprised by my revelation as I had spoken to him in khuzdul before. Well tried to at least. As he once said, my accent and pronunciation were terrible. However I knew how one particular insult was spoken because it had been in the film.

A few more of the dwarves tried to egg me on.

"Go on"

"You might as well say it now"

"Okay, okay." I said "Well the only insult I know if one against elves" There were a few laughs at that. "And you should blame Thorin for me knowing it as he was the one who said it in the story" Thorin sat up at that, eyebrows raised.

Well here goes nothing "îsh kakhfê ai'd dur-rugnul" I said, very carefully, making sure to sound it out properly. I didn't need to insult the dwarves further by butchering their language.

For a second there was no reaction from the dwarves. It was one of the most agonising seconds of my life. Then the forest exploded with howls of laughter.

"By Mahal, that is not what I expected to come out of your mouth, leah" said Fili breathlessly.

"Uncle truly does have a way with words" said Kili with a huge grin.

Thorin lifted his chin up "I have said no such thing...yet" a smiled pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"Wh,what did she say?" asked Bilbo.

"Oh Bilbo it involves a certain bodily expulsion and the face of an elf" said Bofur

oOo

The days tended to blend together. I couldn't keep my magic up while I slept so I had to relinquish my hold on the air. Fortunately, we found that the purified air didn't disappear as soon as my magic did. It lingered around for a good while before the tainted air would seep in. That meant that if we were stationary I could pull back on my magic and we'd have good air for at least an hour. It allowed me to rest more often. However it wasn't much good when we were moving because we would walk away from the good air straight into the bad stuff.

There was another fascinating thing I found too. I had been leaning against a tree keeping my magic up when I first noticed it. Before I hadn't really been paying too close attention to our surroundings. Simply scanning them for anything bad. It was only because I was leaning against a tree that I saw it. The roots directly beneath me had changed colour. As did the ground around it. Instead of a mottled, sickly grey, a healthy brown colour began poking through. Followed by strips of green grass pushing through the rotten undergrowth.

As an experiment I placed my hands against the tree. The magic seeped beneath it. Creaks and crack emanated through the air as several choking vines relinquished their hold on the tree. They moved like snakes and retreated from my magic. In their place the dark grey bark lightened until it was a rich brown.

My throat tightened at seeing life in the midst of all the decay. Knowing that I was the cause nearly brought a tear to my eye. If I could help reclaim even a small part of my old home I would.

Even with my healing magic though, morale was low. Dwarves weren't very good at functioning with only dried fruit and berries. My lembas bread went almost straight away. A bite may have been enough to fill a man's stomach but it wasn't enough for a dwarf's. I barely got to taste it as I shared it with everyone else. It was rather a strange flavour. Almost like shortbread but it wasn't sweet.

My energy had definitely started to wane as the days dragged on. There was a near permanent shake in my arms as I held up my magic. I had to grit my teeth and urge myself to go on. Kili and Mum tried to get me to stop at every opportunity. They didn't like to see me struggling. Each time they tried though I would shake him off and continue. It's not like they could physically stop me from manifesting the light if I really wanted to. However, it reached a point where the decision was out of my hands.

I was walking near the front. Though walking may have been an overstatement. My feet had been dragging more and more as time went on. Each breath was coming out harder than the last and the ache in my limbs was becoming unbearable. But I needed to do this. Everyone was depending on me.

My foot caught against something and I nearly went sprawling across the ground. Thankfully Kili was there to catch me. "Right, that's it, Leah! you can't do this anymore" urged Kili holding me close to him.

" I need to. I need to help" my voice sounded a lot weaker than I thought it would.

"No Leah, you need to stop now" said Mum from behind me "I'm putting my foot down. I'd be a terrible mother if I let you continue on like this"

"But.."

"Leah, please" his face awash with concern, fear and sadness. It hurt to see him this way.

Thorin came around and stood in front of us "Leah we can survive a few days without your intervention. I will not have one member of my company suffer more than necessary"

I nodded slightly, my body sagging as I relented. Letting the magic in my hands dim. A heavy tiredness clung to my bones. So far I've been good at suppressing it and forcing myself to carry on. But once I gave in, the fight left me. Kili was the only thing keeping me up. I felt his lips brush my temple. "Thank you, Leah," he whispered.

oOo

So for the next couple of days we suffered through the wrath of the woods. The air was rank and the shadows began to flit back around us. My body was thankful for the respite though. I had definitely overexerted myself, now that I allowed my body to rest I began to feel better again. No permanent tremors or aching muscles at least.

On the other hand, whereas I was feeling better, the dwarves had begun to feel infinitely worse. The headaches had returned in full force and many of them were complaining about hallucinations again.

Mum and I stayed close together so that we could monitor the dwarves. So far we had to steer many of the dwarves back onto the path. Their eyes had been vacant as they stumbled towards the trees. It made me wonder how they had managed to get through these woods in the story. With my powers I feel like we must have covered more ground in less time. Perhaps we had slipped past the giant spiders all together.

That was wishful thinking. In fact I had already spotted multiple webs hung between trees. Too large to have been made by any normal spider. The sight of it sent shivers down my spine. I hate spiders with a passion.

Luck never really seemed to be on our side. You would think that staying on the elven road would have kept us safe. At least that's what I had thought. However, it seems that fate was so hell bent on throwing us off, it sent its forces onto our path.

We were trudging along in almost single file due to how narrow the path had become. Everything seemed okay. Or as okay as you could be in this forest. I kept hearing sounds amongst the trees but I stupidly ignored them. They were similar to the sounds we'd been hearing the entire time we had been here, so I paid it no mind. That was until a strand of web zipped through the air and wrapped around Oin's leg. We had hardly any time to react before he was dragged bodily into the gloom beyond the path.

The dwarves wasted no time and armed themselves before charging in after him. I fumbled with my own sword. Yanking it out of the scabbard clumsily. Mum was next to me drawing one of her borrowed knives, courtesy of Fili. We ran after the dwarves, leaving the path behind.

A scream rose unbidden by the sight I saw. A myriad of webs were shooting around us. At the end of them stood the most monstrous thing I'd ever laid my eyes on. I could hardly handle a house spider and these things were about 100000x bigger. Cloudy strands of venom dripped from their mandible. Fangs snapped menacingly. They weren't silent either. High pitched squeals rang all around me. A fear, so deeply ingrained, grabbed me in a chokehold. For a second I couldn't move. Couldn't think.

They were everywhere, descending upon us from above. The dwarves and Bilbo were fighting them off. Dodging the webs and slicing the air with their weapons. Ori and Gloin had managed to get to Oin before he could be dragged any further. They hauled him up by his arms and pulled. The webbing strained under the tension but didn't relent. Oin was horizontal in the air as the dwarves tried to pull him free. A slice from Dwalin's axe suddenly freed Oin's leg. Ori and Gloin were still pulling. The quick change in momentum sent them careening backwards. They all landed in a pile.

A spider lashed out at me with one of its legs. It nearly toppled me but I kept my balance. I arched my sword through the air. The blade nicked one of the spines on its legs but not much else. It continued its assault. Deafening me with its screeches.

An arrow whisked past me and landed in one of its eyes. I didn't have to look to know that Kili had shot it. The fletching on the arrow was definitely his. He was somewhere behind me defending against his own share of spiders. Black ooze spat out of the wound. It only seemed to make it angrier.

Out of nowhere, a blur of brown and green crash landed on top of the spider. A dagger was twisted deep into the spiders head. The enraged face of my mother kneeled on the spider's back and stabbed once more. It's scream was something straight from hell as it succumbed to my mums attack. The legs curled up as the thing finally died.

Several things happened simultaneously.

Mum climbed off the spider.

My ears picked up the sounds of distant running. Shouts, in Sindarin, on the air.

A spider launched itself at Kili pinning him underneath it. It's mandible snapping dangerously close to his face.

And a thick, string of webbing wrapped itself around both of my ankles.

Before I could even take all of this in I was wrenched backwards into the unforgiving forest.

_I had to chop this chapter in half because it was getting close to 12000 words and that just felt like way to long. The reunion will definitely be in the next one I promise. Pinky swear. The next chapter is nearly finished and it should hopefully be done by tomorrow x_


	27. I need a miracle

My breath was knocked out of me as I fell backwards. There was no time to acknowledge the pain as my body sped across the forest floor. Being dragged towards some horror I could not yet see. I screamed and twisted as I was dragged backwards. My sword had dropped out of my hands when I fell. The shock of it had loosened my grasp on the weapon. I tried to catch at the ground but could not find purchase.

When I finally saw the monster, my scream froze in my throat. It was using two legs to haul me closer. Until it loomed above. Uncontrollable tears were spilling down my face. I had never felt so helpless lying beneath that monster. Completely at its mercy.

It almost sounded like it was snickering at me. Laughing at my panic.

I would not go without a fight though. My hands reached for whatever they could. They landed on a rock to the right of me. Without hesitating I brought the rock up, aiming for its eyes. The swing was hindered by the spiders mandible and didn't fully hit the face. However the light that exploded from my hands did.

It burned across the spiders face and the blast knocked it the left. Legs flying out behind it. I fell back, my head striking the ground hard. My vision was swimming and nausea was rising up. I lay there for a few seconds just concentrating on my breathing.

That was a nice surprise.

I hadn't expected to be able to do anything close to that after how much I'd drained myself over the last week. It was definitely a good thing that they had managed to get me to rest for a few days. Or I would most certainly be dead right now.

The spider landed on its back but it wasn't quite dead. The legs and body twitched rapidly as it tried to right itself. I knew that I wouldn't be able to conjure anything close to helpful in my current condition. With a cry in my throat, I tried to wriggle away. My body was only just about cooperating; I wouldn't make it far.

Before it could get fully upright, a dagger wedged itself firmly in its head. Followed by an angry elven mother thrusting my sword into its underbelly. The spider curled up around the sword, its screeches fading to nothing. In the distance the sound of fighting continued on.

I managed to get my body into a seated position. The lightheadedness from using my magic was slowly leaving. Albeit slower than it usually did. "Mum" I cried.

Mum forcefully removed the sword from the spider. A sneer clear on her face. Then she turned towards me and her face softened. "Oh Leah" she whispered, a tear in her eye. She quickly knelt down beside me and brought me into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay"

Mum then leaned back so that she could look me over. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I rolled my shoulders and mentally checked for any injuries. After finding only a few sore muscles I realised that I was mostly okay. "I think I mainly just feel woozy from using too much magic"

Mum nodded "I think I can help you out with that" then she grabbed either side of my head "Now, I haven't done this in many years but it's like riding a bike"

Before I could ask what she meant, mum closed her eyes and began muttering under her breath. A string of Sindarin so fast I could barely catch it. Then I began to see a faint glow in my peripheral vision. With a start I realised that Mum was healing me. After a few seconds the nausea lifted and my head began to clear. I felt better than I had done in days.

Mum's hands fell away from my face and she her breath came out in rasps. "That took a lot more effort than I remember. I think I may be a bit rusty"

Despite the situation, I found myself laughing. "What happened to 'oh it's just like riding a bike'?"

"I help you and this is the thanks I get" she said, though there was a smile on her face.

"Thank you, mum" I said, letting out a large breath. Then I leaned forward once more and hugged her tightly.

oOo

The absence of fighting suddenly became apparent to us. No more shouts or swords wrung through the air. Then I realised that the last thing I saw before being carted away by Aragog was Kili being attacked. A shot of fear rushed through me for his well being. Obviously he wasn't dead, or I wouldn't be standing, but something else could have happened to him.

I quickly glanced down to the bond between us. It still remained strong, a vibrant cord that linked our lives together. Surely it would look different if something were seriously wrong right? Well that's what I'm going with anyway. I gave the bond an insistent tug. Both to symbolise me being okay and to ask if he was. It wasn't long before I received the same gesture back and I let out a sigh of relief

Mum and I clambered to our feet, intent on inspecting the new development. One look from mum and I knew we both had the same idea for why there was no more fighting. I had heard shouting in Sindarin after all. As we glided closer, we were careful to stick behind trees and hide our footsteps. Our suspicions were confirmed as we peered from behind the base of a tree.

New figures had entered the forest. Towering above the dwarves. The elves must have arrived when I was dragged away. I could just make out the backs of their heads because they were already leading the dwarves away.

"Should we interfere?" I asked, barely above a whisper.

Mum shook her head, "That may do more harm than good. We may startle them and end up impaled with arrows." she whispered "It's not everyday that your late queen rises from the dead. They may think me some malevolent wraith"

That was true. We weren't exactly the most put together right now. Filthy and covered in spider goo. "Well we need to follow them at least"

None of the elves indicated that they had heard our conversation. Too focused on the angry dwarves they had captured. I hoped mum was going to give them a piece of her mind about how to handle visitors to your kingdom.

They were quite far ahead of us now. We would have to slip out from behind the tree if we were to follow them. Just as we were about to leave our hiding place, another elf stepped from beyond the trees. He was tall and held himself strongly. Platinum blonde hair fell down his back and vivid blue eyes scanned the trees around him. Once he seemed satisfied with what he saw he turned and glided back towards the others. "Lain od thlingril" he said.

As soon as I saw him I froze. My breath fell out of me in a gasp that I barely concealed. I knew this elf. In my heart I knew him. It was him. My brother. It's like my soul cried out the second he came into view. For as long as I could remember I felt like there was a part of me that was missing. Twins aren't supposed to be apart. Our souls came into this world together, we were supposed to be by each other's side forever. He was my brother. My twin. My other half. We were inseparable before we were cruelly torn apart. The brother who had only been 15 minutes older than me had now grown up without me.

I felt my throat tighten and I just about stopped myself from crying out.

Legolas.

I turned to look at mum. She had put her arm against the tree to steady herself. Only it hadn't worked and she had sunk to her knees. Her storm, grey eyes shone more intensely as tears gathered in them. They quickly overflowed and began falling down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with her hand and bit back a cry.

"My boy" she sobbed, voice still in a whisper, "It's him. My little boy."

My own tears began to fall. Seeing mum's outcry of emotion opened up the floodgates of my own. I kneeled down next to her, a watery smile spread across my face. "It's him" I said.

Mum smiled back too, the tears still falling down her face. She took several deep breaths before wiping her face. Wicking the moisture away with her hands. "We need to follow them" she said once she was more composed.

All I could do was nod. We both scrambled to our feet and been to pursue the convoy of elves. It wasn't too hard to follow as the dwarves were making one hell of a racket. Making sure their captures knew just how angry they were. We caught up with them quite quickly. I tried not to look at Legolas too closely because it made my emotions run too high. I would definitely do something stupid. Like run out and try to hug him.

The hard part was trying to remain unseen. All of the elves present had probably had 100's of years of training and knew how to be vigilant. My elven grace could only go so far, I still had to consciously try to make no sound. Every now and then one of the elves would whip their heads round. Scanning the trees for signs of a threat. Mum and I just about managed to dart behind a tree in time. None of the elves ever said anything about being followed so it seemed like we were in the clear.

The forest around us began coming back to life. Dappled sunlight shone down through green canopies. Sounds of real woodland creatures echoed through the air. Not questionable sounds of lurking evil. The further we walked the more I seemed to recognise. I knew this path. I knew those trees. Legolas had gotten his foot caught in that branch and had ended up hanging upside down. I nearly laughed aloud at the memory.

The gateway to the elven kingdom slowly came into view. It was ornate and carved out of the mountain itself. The pillars were made to look like the interweaving branches of a tree. Their shape was so natural it almost seemed as if they had always been there.

It was my home. The first home I had ever known. How had I ever forgotten about this? This place seemed as much a part of me as my body did. My heart leaped and sang at the sight of it. Eyes roamed around trying to drink it all in. Savour it. The fact that I had spent so long not being able to recall it felt ridiculous.

Guards were stationed along the edge of it. They remained vigilant and armed. Bows at the ready.

The influx of memories I was having made me clumsy and I felt a twig snap below my foot. Legolas, who had remained towards the back, quickly spun around. Eyes taking in everything in front of him. I was just able to rush behind a trunk. Though my cloak swished out and took longer to hide with me. My hand reached out and grabbed the edge of the cloak. Bringing it close to my body.

Shit.

There is a very big chance that he saw something. It felt weird to be hiding from my brother. When everything in me told me to run towards him. Rugby tackle him to the ground. Though I knew that mum was probably right. If I ran straight in there I would 100% get shot. We needed to find a chance to talk to Legolas alone.

Mum waved at me from behind her own tree. "I know a way in" she mouthed at me.

I looked back to the gate. The dwarves had been pushed through and the gate was being closed behind them. Legolas was nowhere to be seen either, he must have followed on. I turned back towards mum with a raised eyebrow. If she says she knows a way in I assume that it wasn't through the front gate.

"Follow me" her hands moved in a come here gesture.

With one last look towards the gate, I stepped towards her.

oOo

It turns out that when you're the Queen of a realm you know quite a few hidden entryways. Was it included in like a royal tour or something? 'Oh yes, your majesty see over there what appears to be a tree at first is actually a hidden door with which you can swiftly exit the kingdom'

It was a rather cool secret entrance if you ask me. The edges of the kingdom were protected with high walls. Trees seemed to grow within them at regular intervals. Like towers built into the wall. It seemed impenetrable until you found a certain tree. The tree seemed completely normal until you got very close to it. Then you could see that there was an outline of a door carved into it. Though if you pushed it, it was solid wood.

Mum then placed her full hand on the trunk. A blue glow began to seep from the seams of the 'doorway'. It began at the top and dripped down, like melted wax. Whorls of patterns emerged that weren't visible without the light. An elven door. How cool. Thankfully mum knew the password and didn't have to wait ages to riddle it out. It was less 'speak friend and enter' and more 'speak tree and enter'. As the password was Galadh: the Sindarin word for tree. Elves really need stronger passwords. Throw some numbers in there. Spice it up a bit.

Mum slipped through first. Followed closely by me. My cloak snagged slightly on the bark but I managed to get through. On the other side stood rows upon rows of vegetables and herbs. No one was there thankfully and we quickly made our way forwards. I wasn't entirely sure what mum's plan was. Were we going to try and sneak through the halls unseen? Wait in dad's room until he goes to bed and scare the shit out of him? I didn't really think that either of us were thinking completely rationally at the moment. We were just going wherever came to mind.

A large set of ornate doors lay open at the bottom of the garden. It led into the great halls. The sounds of a whole kingdom were drifting out of it. Singing and talking and walking.

To the left of me stood a wrought iron gate. Completely coated in vines to the point that you could not see beyond it. A part of me knew that it led onto a different garden. My legs stopped moving as soon as I saw it. That was.._my_ garden. A sensation, not quite tangible, crept across my skin. My magic responded and swirled around my core. As if it had been awoken. My eyes drifted down to my chest. The bond with Kili was there bright and shining. It led to somewhere deep in the halls. But it was no longer the only strand I could see. Tiny strands were now there, that glowed faintly. They stretched towards my old garden.

Then a memory resurfaced. One that I saw in the water basin in rivendell.

"_You're magic flows through it now. So that means that it will bloom for as long as you live"_

The basin had shown me that my garden had died along with me. It was tied to my life force after all. But now that I had been brought back the garden must have been too. I could feel it. The plants and the life that lay beyond that gate. My feet were moving before I even acknowledged it. The closer I got to it the stronger the sensation was.

Mum had continued on, not realising that I had stopped following. My hand reached up to touch the gate. A strange feeling sat on my chest. A mixture of happiness, sadness and anticipation.

The sound of a leaf crunching sounded behind me. I turned, expecting to see the face of mum. Only to come face to face with the end of an arrow.

My eyes widened and I stumbled backwards. A squeak slipped past my lips in surprise. For a second I was too focused on the business end of the arrow. Pointing menacingly between my eyes. Then my gaze drifted up to see the person who held the bow. I gasped as I looked into the eyes of my brother. The same shade as mine.

Legolas must have followed us without me realising. When I thought he had gone through the gate he must have slipped from sight and tailed us. Espionage wasn't our strong suit it seemed. Best stick to the day job.

The hands holding the bow wavered as Legolas looked me in the eyes. His angry, accusatory gaze guttering out.

" are you?" he asked, uncertainty and a hint of fear plaguing his voice.

I felt my bottom lip wobbling slightly and a single tear roll down my face. He was so close. My twin was here but he didn't recognise me. There was a sharp pain in my chest. Part of me wanted to scream 'It's me you idiot'. But the other part was frozen, merely staring into his eyes. This didn't feel real. It felt more like a dream.

When I was younger and more naive I had refused to believe that my twin had died. He couldn't be dead. That just wasn't a concept that a six year old could comprehend Instead I believed that he was just lost. I would scream at mum and tell her that he just needed to find us. He would find us and we would be happy again. Years past and I grew out of such childlike fantasies.

And yet here he was, having found us after all this time.

"Darling" came a soft voice from behind Legolas.

Mum came into view, placing a hand on the bow and lowering it. Legolas grip on the bow failed as he laid eyes on mum. The bow clattered to the floor completely forgotten about. A half strangled noise fell from his throat and he stumbled backwards. His face crumpled as he finally took in all of her.

"Nana" his voice broke on the word and he crumpled to the ground. He reached out to her but there was still a lingering fear in his eyes. As if he was scared she would melt into the mist at any second.

Mum fell to the ground with him. Her own tears back. "Oh Legolas" she said reaching a hand towards his face. He gasped when her hand made contact. A tangible hand not a ghost. He quickly grasped onto the hand as if it were a lifeline. "My little boy. You're not so little anymore"

Legolas lunged forward and captured mum in a hug. He clung to her so tightly, breathing in the scent of her. Mum's hand stroked through Legolas' hair

"How?...How?" he just kept repeating it over and over again. "How are you here?"

"It's a long story." Mum held Legolas's face in both of her hands. Wiping away the tears with her thumbs. Her eyes roved all over his face, desperate to take him all in. She had spent so long without him she must have been savouring everything that she could. A wobbly smile stretched across her face "All that matters right now is that we're here and we're not going anywhere" said mum.

"We?" then Legolas seemed to remember that I was also here. His gaze flicked towards me and his eyes widened once more. He shot to his feet and stood before me. "Liriel?" he breathed.

I nodded, "Legolassie" I said, a weak laugh falling from my mouth.

My response surprised him and he let out a startled laugh. Without hesitation I dove at him. Encircling him with an ironclad embrace. His own arms wrapped around me with equal eagerness. The height difference between us now was truly ridiculous. Last time we had seen each other I had been taller than him. Now my head just about lay on his chest. I could no longer hold in the torrent of tears as I finally hugged my brother.

oOo

**Thranduil (Throne Room)**

Dwarves.

It had to be dwarves didn't it.

Thranduil's guards had brought the prisoners in earlier. They had been caught trespassing on his lands, while the soldiers were hunting spiders. The hunts had been increasing exponentially as of late. Spiders infested his lands and choked out life with their webs. It was getting worse by the day. Becoming harder and harder to keep them at bay. Just when you thought you had cleared an area, you would return only to find more than before. They were slowly encroaching on his kingdom. The Elvenking's halls would never be overrun but they were losing external land every week.

Thranduil had to protect his people from the evils of this world. He'd lost too many to it already. That's why he had closed off his land from all travellers. Anyone who trespassed in his lands were considered a threat. Someone who could potentially harm his people. That is why anyone who attempted to pass through them were treated without impunity.

It was Gwaenir that came to inform him of the dwarves. Which Thranduil found strange. Usually his son, Legolas, would be the one to inform him of events from his watch. When Thranduil asked Gwaenir where his son was the guard said that he saw him circling the outer walls. He would have to ask his son about his strange behaviour next time he saw him. Now, unfortunately, he had another task at hand.

Thorin Oakenshield was stood before his throne. Red, hot anger was barely contained beneath the surface of the would-be dwarven king. His visage was travel worn. Though it was nowhere near as bad as was to be expected. He had journeyed through the realms of Mirkwood and managed to come out of it practically unscathed. That was almost unheard of unless you were of elven blood. It made Thranduil very suspicious.

Thranduil descended from his throne so that he was now on the same level as the dwarf. Well one can never be truly level with a dwarf, their height difference didn't account for such. It allowed Thranduil to use his dominating presence around Thorin. As he lorded above him.

"Let us go, Thranduil. You have no right to keep us here" Thorin seethed, teeth clenched.

"No right?" Thranduil scoffed "You trespass onto my lands, nearly cause harm to my people in your recklessness and you _destroyed _the statues of the late queen and princess"

When one of his scouts informed him of the destruction of the statues, Thranduil felt like he couldn't breathe. Like someone had shot him in the chest. Impaling his frozen heart with a morgul arrow. A vicious, pervasive rage had encompassed him. It's true that they had not been maintained for over 100 hundred years. With the threat of the spiders increasing he could not spare the elves to tend to them. Nevertheless, the fact that these _trespassers _had demolished them, made Thranduil's blood boil. How dare they deface his family like that.

Thorin had the gall to look embarrassed. Eyes flicking away from Thranduil's in a show of guilt. He wasn't even going to deny it. "That was an accident" Thorin's voice was heavy with irritation "It was not our intention"

"An accident!?" The statues were nought but rubble and dust. No distinguishing features left at all. One cannot simply pulverize a statue like that by 'accident'. It would take repeated hits with a large weapon. Requiring malice and a determination to destroy the figure.

No this could not be an accident.

This must have been some sort of revenge on Thorin's part. For Thranduil's role in the destruction of Erebor. He had refused to endanger his armies against the might of the dragon. A threat that Thror's own greed had brought upon his people. His desire for gold had lured the demon from some fiery hellhole to descend on the mountain. Thranduil knew the ruin that dragon fire could cause and would not risk the deaths of his people. He had to protect them at all costs. For his refusal to charge a dragon, a deep-seated hatred had formed in Thorin's heart.

Thranduil walked around Thorin, facing away from him and into the halls. He needed to collect himself. There was something he desperately needed from the dwarven King. He knew exactly where Thorin and his company were heading. Why else would they risk their lives traipsing through this forest, unless they were headed to Erebor? A noble quest, it seemed, was underway. To reclaim their once prosperous kingdom from the clutches of a dragon.

Thranduil could use this opportunity to recover what was rightfully his. The gems of lasgalen. He had commissioned the dwarves to craft him a necklace out of those magnificent jewels. A necklace fit for his queen to wear. Though it would have never graced her neck. His wife had been long dead when he had asked for it to be made. Thranduil could not say what drove him to desire such an item. All he knew was that when he laid his eyes upon the gems they reminded him of her. Of his Elinneth. They were pure starlight just like she had been.

His broken Fëa was a never ending reminder of her absence. The pain would often try to consume him. It was like trying to walk with broken limbs. A part of him was forever severed but he still had to continue on. His kingdom. His people. His son. They needed him and were the only things that kept him going. To keep them safe had almost become an obsession.

When he saw the gems, a dark, vulnerable part of him had yearned to possess them. It told him that if he held them then he would be able to feel her again. The gems were of pure magic and would fill the hole she had left when she was wrenched apart from him. Blunt the edges of his shattered Fëa. Dull the pain he felt everyday.

He knew this. It would work. It had to. Otherwise nothing would. He needed them desperately. Now that they were finally within his grasp, he could not wait any longer.

With the dwarves in his captivity he had the upper hand. He could offer help in exchange for the gems. However, If he sneered and shouted then Thorin would be less likely to cooperate. So even though he wanted to curse the dwarf in front of him, he schooled his expression into something more neutral.

He turned back around to face the dwarf and his throne. "Let us get back to the matter at hand, shall we?" Thranduil drawled, his cool façade back in place. "There is only one reason Thorin Oakenshield would travel through these lands and it lies north west of here. You mean to take back that which was stolen from you. A Noble quest some might say"

Thorin remained in seething silence as Thranduil glided past. Arms held behind him. Thranduil's back was to Thorin when he caught a sound on the air. Approaching footsteps climbing up the winding paths behind them. They also appeared to be in a hurry. Thranduil gritted his teeth. He told his guards that he was not to be disturbed while he conversed with the dwarven king. Why had they let someone slip through?

Thranduil was ready to turn and berate whoever had disrupted his meeting. However he froze momentarily when he heard Thorin begin to speak.

"Ellen what are you doing here?" the dwarf asked in an angry whisper.

Had one of the dwarf's companions slipped free?

Thranduil finally spun around eyes livid. Ready to clash with whichever dwarf had managed to break free and come to their King's aid.

"What is th.." His voice broke off in a strangled gasp as he laid eyes on the intruder.

It was not a dwarf.

She stood before him. Tall and dressed in a large green tunic and brown leggings. A cloak with a hood pulled back just enough so that you could see her face. Her silver eyes seemed to glow as they filled with unshed tears. Looking just as beautiful as the last time he saw her.

Elinneth. It was Elinneth. His wife, his queen, his love. The other half of his soul.

Only it couldn't be.

Thranduil stumbled back from her. Not even acknowledging the others present. His vision tunneled until it was only her he saw. She reached out a hand towards him as he backed away. "Melamin" she gasped.

The sound of her voice sent a shock through him. It was a melody that he only ever heard in his dreams. Always fading in the light of day. His feet hit the stone steps of his throne and he collapsed backwards onto them. Hands barely catching his fall. Grazing against the solid stone beneath. Thranduil did not care about the jolt that flew up his arms. Hardly felt it at all.

It could not be her. If she was here he would not still feel the crushing emptiness inside. He would be whole. Yet the pain was still there. Growing more and more as he looked upon the visage of his wife. She must be a hallucination. Some ghost or apparition. Another cruel punishment, just like Liriel's garden. To dangle his loved ones before him with no hope of ever actually having them back. Were the Valar really so cruel to punish him this way? To chip away at his heart and mind until he was left as naught but a shell of an elf.

"Elinneth" he whimpered, speaking her name like a prayer.

Elinneth walked towards him as if she was scared that he would run. The closer she got the more he flinched. Struggling against the pain. Tears fell from his eyes unbidden

"I'm really here Thranduil" she cried "I'm alive"

"You can't be"

She kneeled down so that she was level with him. Eye to eye. He could not look away if he tried. So entranced by her.

A hand reached up towards him. His first instinct was to shy away. This moment would make or break him. If she were truly an apparition then her hand would have no solid form. It would feel like nothing was there at all. If that were to happen, Thranduil would fracture completely. It would be the final blow to his damaged heart and mind.

A glow began to emanate from her hand as she brought it closer. Though it wasn't the white glow of a healer's touch. It was something wholly new. A deep golden glow, unlike any he'd seen before. Unbeknownst to him, his own skin began to glow with that same ethereal quality. Stemming from his face, where her hand was closest. Then her fingers caressed his cheek.

The light from Elinneth's hands rushed into Thranduil's body. His own doing the same for her. It spread throughout their bodies until they were bathed in light. Thranduil took in a deep shuddering breath as the magic flooded through him. Wherever it touched it breathed new life. Healing. Mending. Reforming.

The light wasn't merely magic. It was their Fëar. Their souls made visible. Finally recombining after being wrenched apart. The light coalesced around their hearts. Glowing and golden. Until a clear outline formed and you could see every beat. Like someone had opened a window in their chests to see their hearts below. Their heartbeats were synchronised with one another.

With one final swell of magic, the light dissolved back into their skin

He was whole.

The piercing emptiness that had made its home within him had been driven away. In its place sat his wife's Fëa. The other half of his soul. Finally back where it belonged.

Thranduil was in a total state of euphoria. After so long in such a dark place Thranduil never thought he would resurface. But in the space of one minute he was hauled out of the pit thrown back into the light.

He let out a bewildered laugh, his body too overcome with emotions he never thought he would feel again.

_We finally made it! I've been wanting to write this chapter from the very beginning. I hope I managed to do it justice, Though it it 2am so I may return to this in the morning and find it riddled with mistakes. lain od thlingril- free from spiders Melamin- My love_


	28. To be in your arms again

Oh god it's nearly been 3 months since I last updated. i know for some authors that's normal but I was updating this every other day before.  
With starting my new job things got a bit hectic and stressful. I've been trying to balance working and actually seeing my partner. With christmas coming up I've been working nearly everyday, It left very little time to write.  
I do want to finish this fanfiction. It just may take a bit of time. Hopefully once christmas is done I can reduce my hours a bit at work and actually have time to write again. So look forward to the new year when I'll be able to write more.  
Thank you guys for sticking with this story, it means the world to me. Reading your comments and seeing your favourites really has kept me going with this fic

Legolas held me while I ugly cried into his very nice-and probably expensive- tunic. The green colour of the fabric had deepened in colour as my tears were soaked up. His arms were strong and warm. They gripped onto me just as fiercely as I gripped onto him.

My brother was here. Alive. His pounding heart beneath my ear was evidence of that.

Mum had joined us not long after I initiated the hug. Wrapping her arms around the pair of us. We all ended up squashed in a three-person group hug. it was the happiest I'd ever been.

A hand found its way into my hair and I felt mum place a kiss onto my temple. Then she moved away and repeated the motion with Legolas. Closing her eyes, a silent tear slipped down her cheek. Then she rested her forehead next to Legolas's.

"I never dreamed I would get to hold both of my babies again" Mum whispered.

Then she opened her eyes. She leaned back slightly so that she could see us both better. One of her hands rested on each of our shoulders. A watery smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I remember a time when I could hold both of you, one in each arm" a small laugh bubbled up. The hand on Legolas's shoulder moved to cup his face. "I can't do that anymore can I. Look how much you've grown"

"At least one of your children has managed to grow to a normal height" I joked, voice still rather thick from tears

Legolas's laugh rumbled in his chest, beneath my head. I leaned back so that I could see his face. His eyes were bright and intense with the amount of emotions he must have been feeling at that moment. "I don't understand how you can be here"

I mock sighed dramatically. "It's a long story that involves other worlds; time travel; shapeshifting and dwarves"

Legolas looked momentarily stunned. Eyes widened as if trying to take everything in. "...What?...I don't.. wait did you say dwarves?" Legolas stuttered "As in the dwarves currently being taken to the dungeons?"

"The very same" I said "And we kinda need them not to be in there"

"That reminds me" said mum, her hands moving to rest by her sides "I should probably go and speak to your Adar"

She said it so nonchalantly. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Which it was. She just hadn't been able to say it for so long.

Her face told a different story than her voice. She looked like she was feeling every emotion at once. After a deep breath she seemed to compose herself a little more. Then she reached up, behind her, to pull the hood of her cloak over her head. It was pulled low enough so that she could cover her face if she needed to.

"If I'm remembering correctly then he should be in the throne room" She breathed "I'll look there first"

Legolas's confused expression seemed to deepen and he looked like he was about to say something. However, before he could, mum moved towards him. With both hands cradling his face, she reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek. Her hands lingered for a moment. Then she repeated the same motion with me. Except she had to bend down in order to reach me.

Then she stepped backwards "You can stay here but I _need_ to see your Adar now"

Without another word, she spun on her heel and began striding back towards the mountain. Her pace was very hurried.

"Mum?"

"Nana"

She left so quickly it took a moment for me to realise that she was beginning to move out of sight. Through the doors leading into the halls. My eyes widened. I quickly looked up from mum's retreating form to Legolas.

"I feel like we should be following her" I said, pointing towards the entrance.

"That is probably a good idea," he said with a breathy laugh. "I don't know how people will react when they see her"

We lingered for only a second longer before darting towards the mountain. I don't know who reached out first but our hands were firmly entwined. Hanging onto each other like a lifeline. The way we used to do when we were younger. Dragging the other around.

Whereas last time we had done this we were more or less on equal footing-because we were both the same size-now it was mainly Legolas pulling me around. His legs were a lot longer than mine and he could make up a lot more ground in a shorter amount of time.

By the time we made it inside mum was nowhere to be seen. She must have quickened her step once she disappeared from view. So desperate to see dad again.

There was a short corridor that drove further into the halls. The walls were earthen and hewn from the mountain itself. Rich carvings lined the surface depicting forest scenes. Lit braziers hung along the edges. It cast soft, orange light across the hallway. At the end it split off into two directions. There was no way to tell which path mum had taken in her hurry.

We reached the end of the corridor and stopped. Looking in both directions. They both led further in and began to branch off into different directions. Like the limbs of a tree. "Which way do you think she went?" I asked.

Legolas looked contemplative, gazing in both directions again. "It's hard to say. Both of these paths could lead to the throne room"

I pursed my lips "Well at this rate we probably won't catch up to her"

"If we just start to make our own way towards the throne room we may cross her path" Legolas decided.

It sounded like an okay plan to me.

I let Legolas lead the way. Even though more and more memories were filtering back to me, I still wasn't confident enough to find my own way. Each hallway we moved down pulled more feelings of home and nostalgia from the back of my mind. So far we hadn't crossed paths with anyone yet. If I was to guess I'd say that they were too busy trying to peek at the new prisoners.

"Where have you been?" Legolas asked as he led us through the palace. His voice was tight as he spoke. "I remember..adar.." he shook his head. As if shaking away a bad memory "He said that your Fëar were no longer in Arda"

"It's true" I breathed.

Legolas stopped walking and I slowed to a stop next to him. He looked at me with a strange mix of bemusement, shock and fear. "When we died" Legolas flinched slightly, a flash of pain crossed his face. "we were sent to another world. One so completely different to this one"

"Another world" he said in astonishment "I know you said something about it earlier but I never thought it was possible"

"Neither did I until a few months ago" I replied with a small smile.

He smiled back at me for a moment before a wrinkle formed between his brows. "Wait how could you only have known a few months ago? Surely you would have realised as soon as you arrived there"

"It's a bit more complicated than that." I muttered. Legolas looked back at me, silently urging me to go on.

"Well, for a start, elves didn't exist in the new world. So we were changed into humans. Well not changed really because Elrond said something about different versions of us existing in other worlds so I guess they were already there and we just sort of slipped in" I rambled, going off on a tangent that didn't make much sense when you didn't know the basic facts.

"What?" Legolas's confusion had only deepened.

"Doesn't matter." I said with a wave of my hand "The point I'm trying to make is that in the other world we were human. And we were given completely new memories; memories from that world"

New pain grew in his eyes. They shone in the torch light in a way that they hadn't a second ago. "So you could not remember anything. Not home or Adar..or me"

My heart broke as Legolas's voice cracked. He thought that I had forgotten about him. "Of course I remembered you. You're my twin brother." I said "There was a different version of you in that other world too...your name was Lachlan"

It hit me then that I had never truly known Lachlan. I came into that world when I was 6. Just after the car crash. By that point Lachlan had already died. I had memories of him but they weren't truly mine. They must have belonged to the other Leah. The one who originally from the other world. Who must have died with the rest of her family in order for my soul to have replaced hers. And if she died too, that must mean that her and Lachlan were never separated. Wherever people on Earth go when they die, they least stayed together. It was a strange comfort.

However, even though I never actually lived through those memories, they were still there. Still feeling as real and tangible as any other

"In that world, when I was 6, you and ada died" There was a slight tremble in my voice as I spoke "It's like the opposite of this world, I guess"

Legolas looked at me for a moment. Pensieve. "So while I was here mourning you, you were there mourning me"

"Yeah" I said with a sad laugh. A small tear threatened to roll down my face but I wiped it away before it could. "But I think you may have mourned for a little bit longer than me."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Well for me you died 15 years ago but I think it may have been a bit longer since I died" I said a bit sheepishly

"15!" he exclaimed "It's been over 1500 for me. That is insane… wait how old are you?" he looked down at me as if only just registering how short I was.

I paused for a second, thinking about the best way to explain the strangeness that was my life. "Okay I was 25 when I left this world and I was 21 in the other so I guess technically I'm 46. But Lord Elrond said that because humans age faster I am of age. I'm not a child even if you think I'm the size of one" It call came out in one fast huff.

Legolas looked momentarily stunned "Wow… that's...wow" the stunned look was quickly overtaken by a grin "I guess I truly am the older twin now." he chuckled "I had 15 minutes over you before. Now I have a whole 1500 years to lord over you"

"Oh don't get all smug" I said with a grin. Thankful for the mood shift.

"So you have really been a human for the past 15 years?"

I nodded

"How was that? I can't really imagine what it would be like" he asked.

"Well at the time I didn't really know anything else" I shrugged "So everything seemed normal. It's only after I came back and I started to get my real memories back that I realised how strange it was.

"I think how fast they grow is the strangest. Here it took me 25 years to grow to the size of a human 6 year old. But in the other world I'd stopped growing by the time I hit 14. I went from the size of a child to this height in 8 years. That's insane for an elf.

"Lord Elrond suggested that, that was the reason for my 'reduced stature'" I made air quotes with my hands.

Legolas seemed to be absorbing all of the information. Storing it away for later. Then he grinned again. Mirth clearly in his eyes. "So if you truly are of age, does that mean that you get to be the world's shortest elf forever?"

My mouth dropped open in an amused gasp. I can't believe that I came back from the dead just for my brother to rip into me. Then again, that was also my first instinct as soon as I found out that my brother was Legolas. I wanted to call him Lassie. It be some kind of innate sibling instinct to joke about the other.

"I'm not the shortest elf. Surely there are others that are as tall as me"

"You will be searching for a long time, dearest sister"

oOo

We did actually start walking again. I didn't realise how long our little heart to heart in the corridor had lasted. Mum would have been miles ahead of us by now. If not already in the throne room.

As we got closer to the throne room, the halls seemed to become more frantic. The voices that we had been hearing were reaching a joyous fever pitch. Mum must have been found. It was the only explanation for the sounds. Elves were quite aloof most of the time; It took something big to make them lose their composure.

Legolas and I exited a corridor and found ourselves in the vast sprawling cavern that made up the centre of the mountain. Long winding bridges stretched up to other parts of the mountain. None of them contained any form of fence or barrier. I swear architects in Middle Earth just live for the danger.

They all connected several different floors to each other. Though I don't really know if you can call them floors in a mountain. I feel like if I said I wanted to go to the third floor or something, I would get very strange looks.

It was a beautiful maze of pathways. Criss-crossing like a spider's web. However, I feel like the elves here would not appreciate that analogy. Not with their own spider problem going on outside.

Natural light poured into the cavern in great beams. Throwing a warm yellow-y glow across the room. It was also much brighter than you would expect considering we were technically underground. Upon inspection of the ceiling I found the culprit. There were gaps within the ceiling that shone blindingly. Light bounced out of them in several directions; not just straight down.

Mirrors! I realised. A vast system of mirrors was keeping the halls well lit.

My mouth dropped open into a gasp as soon as we entered into throne hall. Several memories assaulted my brain all at once.

_Legolas and I, were bounding along the bridges. Just about stopping ourselves from careening over the edge on sharp bends. We were a lot shorter than we are now_. _Only coming up to the adults waists. The others on the path had to quickly jump out of our way or risk being bowled over. Both of us were racing to see who could get to the garden's the quickest. The winner would be deemed the 'fastest runner' and it was a title both of us desperately wanted._

_On a different day we were trying to be sneaky. Tiptoeing along the path and darting behind pillars. Though how we thought that we wouldn't be seen was beyond me. Nana had told us that Ada had an important meeting and that we were not to disturb him. A meeting with some of the men that had begun to live nearby. However, our curiosity got the best of us. We'd never seen a man before. Legolas was certain that they had big scary teeth._

_We sidled up to a pillar and looked down upon the throne. Ada was stood at the bottom of it talking to someone. When his head moved in our direction we quickly ducked behind the pillar. Hidden from sight. In our child minds, we had successfully evaded detection. However in reality Ada would have known we were there from the beginning._

_When we peered back around we looked towards the guests. And were immediately underwhelmed._

_There were no big teeth. Or anything out of the ordinary really. They were pretty normal. The only difference really was that they had round ears and were quite short._

_In another memory I was running up towards the throne. It loomed above me with its great elk antlers. To anyone else It would appear intimidating. But it was Ada's chair so I didn't see any reason to feel alarmed by it. _

_Ada was sat upon it, looking very amused as I bounced my way towards him. In my hand was a flower crown that Nana had helped me to make. It was a rainbow of flowers. All that I had bloomed that day. _

_In my attempt to get to Ada I tried to take the steps two at a time. My small legs couldn't quite make the last few and I nearly tripped. Ada managed to catch me around my waist before I could fall. _

_I giggled as he lifted me high and sat me in his lap on the throne. "I made this for you, Ada" I held out the flower crown towards him proudly._

_His eyes crinkled with a smile "I shall wear it with honour"_

_He then slipped his own crown off of his head. Then he bowed slightly to allow me to replace it with my new one. Ada then slipped his own crown onto my head. It was rather big and slipped down my eyes._

Home.

It was almost too much.

A tear managed to slip down my cheek. Probably adding to the tracks my other tears had made through the dirt on my face.

Legolas felt me slow next to him. He turned back to peer at me. A look of understanding passed over his face. He gave my hand and encouraging squeeze before continuing on.

The throne lay high above us. You couldn't see it from the angle we were at but I knew where it was. My heart rate sped up and my mouth went dry at the thought. I was so close. Ada was here.

We finally bumped into some other elves. It was chaos in the chamber. Full of excited elves. They were running across the bridges, calling to one another.

"The Queen"

"She's returned"

The path we were on was suddenly occupied by another, nearly breathless elf. He was quite tall-then again compared to me all elves are. Dark brown hair hung down his back, with complex braids criss-crossing atop his head. He had a prominent nose and a strong chin. His chest was quite broad and it was covered in leather armour.

And I knew him.

He stumbled towards us. Breaking off from his half run. He looked straight at Legolas who was a step in front of me. "Legolas, my Prince! it's your Nan…" his voice broke off when he saw who was standing next to Legolas.

"Gwaenir!" I shouted, a huge smile coming to my face.

I remembered him. When I saw his face memories flooded out. He was a Captain in the Royal Guard. When I was younger he often ended up as Legolas and I's personal guard. After spending so long around us he had grown a soft spot for us and would often sneak us treats from the kitchens.

I had been so caught up in seeing my family I hadn't thought about all the other people I would be seeing again.

I ran up to the very startled elf and wrapped my arms around him. Squeezing him tightly. I was only slightly bigger than the last time I had hugged him. Before I was at waist height now I was just above his chest.

A gasp left him as we collided and he stiffened. "Liriel"

After realising what I was doing I edged backwards. A slight red tinge colouring my cheeks. "Sorry, it's just been a while since I saw you. I got excited" I said with a small smile.

Gwaenir's eyes searched my face "It is you" his hand hovered over my cheek.

Gwaenir shook his head as if not quite believing what he was seeing. A shine was developing in his eyes. Then he looked over my shoulder at Legolas. "The King..and Queen are going to the King's study. I went to search for you as soon as I knew"

"Thank you Gwaenir" I heard from behind me.

"Is Thorin with them?" I asked

The question drew I very confused look to Gwaenir's face. His eyebrows drew together. "The dwarf king? but how did you?.." he shook his head "Yes Thorin Oakenshield is with them"

"I will take you to them" said Gwaenir.

oOo

The closer we drew towards Ada's study the more emotional I became. My heartbeat was thundering in my ears. So much so that I got another panicked tug down the bond. I quickly tugged back. trying to infuse it with peaceful and happy thoughts so that Kili would know I was okay. Though I knew that the bond didn't really account for emotions, I hoped Kili would interpret it as such anyway. I felt bad for him: stuck in a jail cell. But I would make sure that he was released as soon as possible.

Seeing my dad would be different than seeing Legolas was. Legolas had changed so much since I last saw him. He had grown and his voice was deeper. Even though my mind had knew who he was when I saw him, it still took a second to fully recognise him. To look at his features and seek out the young brother I knew.

Ada, however, would still be the same. Same face, same smile, same voice.

We turned the corner that led to the royal chambers. Voices emanated from down the corridor. Coming from a door that I knew led to Ada's study. My breathing picked up as I heard familiar voices. The soft melody of Mum's voice floated by. Alongside a deeper tone that I had not heard for so many years.

I felt a cry catch in my throat as I heard it.

Without another thought I launched myself down the corridor and wrenched the door open.

Ada was stood in front of his impressive mahogany desk. His hand was held tightly by my Mum. They were looking at each other like they'd seen the light for the first time after years in the dark.

Thorin stood beside a large fireplace. His face a war of emotions. Making it extremely difficult to tell what he was thinking. He was not handcuffed or held in anyway.

The door crashed against the wall and everyone turned to look at me.

As soon as Ada's familiar eyes locked onto mine, I felt a sob rip its way out of me. My hand covered my mouth. Trying to mask the sound. Apparently I was nowhere near as cried out as I thought I was. More tears rose unbidden in my eyes and cascaded down my cheeks.

It was like I was feeling everything at once. My body was so overwhelmed after everything today. It felt like I couldn't think. All I knew was that my Ada was here.

Ada was here.

He looked down at me with overwhelming joy and love in his eyes. His own tears were falling.

"Ada" the sound was strangled by the tears in my voice.

I ran.

Ran towards comfort and safety.

To the arms I'd been longing to be held in, for as long as I could remember.

Ada caught me as I half stumbled and he wrapped his arms around me. He was still so much taller than me and had to stoop to hug me properly. My ugly tears had returned with a vengeance. Sobs wracked my body as he held me.

His hands threaded through my hair. I felt a kiss being crushed into the crown of my head. He held me so tight. As if he was scared I would vanish if he let go.

"Liriel" he gasped, I felt moisture drop onto my forehead. A tear "Tithien ven, my little girl"

We both held each other. Scared to let the other one go.


	29. On the nights you feel outnumbered

I couldn't tell you how long we stood there just holding onto one another. It was probably getting awkward for the other people in the room but I couldn't bring myself to care all that much.

Eventually Ada pulled back so that he could see my face. His eyes were shiny and looked down at me with wonder. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. My own face mirrored his own. He brought a hand up to my cheek. Wiping away an errant tear with his thumb.

"You're filthy" he said with a small laugh.

"Gee thanks Ada" I laughed at the unexpected jibe. It's not as if I'd just come out of a gross forest; that would be silly.

I pulled my sleeves down over my hands and reached up. Wiping at the moisture on my face. When I pulled them away a thin coat of dirt clung to them. So maybe he had a point. It was slightly reminiscent of when I arrived in rivendell and Rey wiped away my tears. Why could I never arrive at a place clean?

Ada had moved his hand away when I wiped my face. His hand now rested on my shoulder. He looked at me for a few seconds longer before lifting his gaze to the others in the room. Legolas, Thorin and Mum.

"Now would anyone like to tell what in Eru's name has happened here?"

And so began quite a long discussion about the mystery that was Mum and I. It would seem that I would never be finished telling this story. There would always be someone else that I needed to explain to. I was probably in for a lot of storytelling over the next few days considering how many people their were in this kingdom.

When we told Ada about the other world, his face became a strange picture. As if he was both surprised but had also known all along. Well at least a part of him had always known that we weren't in Arda anymore. A soul ripping in half seems like something you would definitely notice and it wouldn't have happened if Mum and I had stayed here.

But at the same time, it would still be a shock to find out your far fetched suspicions were right.

Ada became very curious about our human lives: as mortal lives are so far removed from an elf it was hard for him to get his head around. He was especially concerned about me having to grow up as one of them. About me not having enough time to be a child and grow.

Ada's face fell when he found out that we had also been mourning them. "I had hoped that even though I could not feel you, that you were at least without suffering"

Mum squeezed his arm in a bid to comfort him.

Then came the part where this whole journey started from. Mum was the one who was explaining. "We were camping in the woods when it happened"

"When what happened?" Ada asked, voice low.

"Middle Earth came to us" I added helpfully.

Ada turned towards me with one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised up. The fact that my Ada had better eyebrows than me was a bit cruel.

"Okay so there was like really strange singing that drew us into some field" I began, using my hands to help explain my point. "When we got there a bright light exploded out" my hands exploded outwards to hammer in my point. "It was like there was a hole just hanging in mid air... And then Kili fell out of it"

"Kili?" asked Ada "Who or what is Kili?"

My face heated up. I realised then that I was going to have to explain to my Ada just who Kili was. I let out a nervous cough before I said "er he's a dwarf"

"A Dwarf!" Ada exclaimed.

"My Nephew, actually" said Thorin from his corner. Finally adding his own words to the conversation. Up until then he had been standing stoically with his arms crossed.

Ada looked at Thorin when he spoke, with a small frown. "Why did this dwarf cross over into this other world? Did he die?"

"No no." I shook my head. I could understand his question as we had died before being placed on Earth.

"But he nearly did. He was attacked by a warg and thrown off a cliff. The warg came through with him actually" I pulled my sleeve down to reveal the claw marks the warg had made.

Ada gasped and tightened his hold on mum's hand. I didn't notice Ada's distress or Mum's pointed gaze right away and carried on with my story "Mum fought it off with only a tree branch and it was one of the most awesome things I've ever seen"

"So you were nearly mauled to death by a warg because of this dwarf"

My eyebrows shot up. You can't really blame Kili for the warg attack it's not as if he had any control over it.

"You can't blame Kili for that Melamin" Mum said in a soothing voice. The fear in Ada's eyes smoothed out slightly.

"No, it wasn't his fault Ada." I said "Anyway if he didn't get attacked by a warg we might not be here".

A pointed cough from Thorin told me that he didn't appreciate me making that statement. Ada's curiosity however was now heightened once more.

Mum jumped back in and explained how Kili lived with us and how he eventually found a way home. I decided to remain quiet for the moment and not tell him about how close Kili and I had grown in that time. There would surely be a better time to explain all of that.

Then I helped to explain how Kili returned home. I didn't tell them about how Mum had broken down when he left. It would be mum's story to tell when she was ready. But I did tell them about how the portals came for us next. Taking mum first and then me.

"I landed on the edge of Mirkwood near Beorn's dwelling. He found me and took me in" Mum explained.

"You were so close" Legolas murmured from beside me.

"When was this?" Asked Ada

"It must have been about 3 months ago"

Pain flashed across Ada's eyes it looked like he had taken a blow. "You were there the whole time. We could have found each other sooner...Why didn't you?"

Mum reached up to Ada's face "I'm sorry Thranduil. It hurt me to be so close too. But I had to stay until Liriel came"

"Wait. She was not with you already?"

"No I ended up in a place called Rildolach which is half way between Ered Luin and the Shire"

"What!"

Ada was very distressed by the fact that I was cast out into Middle Earth on my own. Especially considering I was only a child when I left and that I had never left these halls. I explained to him that I was taken in by a very lovely dwarf couple who fed me and gave me a place to sleep.

His expression became very strange when I told him of the dwarves hospitality. Like he was confused but also grateful.

"If you were there, how did you make it here?" Legolas asked.

I turned towards Thorin, who was already looking at me. His gaze wasn't as angry as I thought it would be. Which gave me hope that he didn't hate me. "Thorin found me" I said, pointing to him.

"Thorin?" said Ada, incredulously.

Thorin turned towards Ada and the anger I had been expecting to be thrown at me was thrown his way. "You should be thankful that I did or your daughter could be Mahal knows where right now"

"I beg your pardon" said Ada, standing up straighter.

They both seemed to be trying to glare the other one down. I needed to interfere before it got out of hand. "I may have nearly been kidnapped" I said quickly. My right hand started to worry the other as I spoke.

Ada's glare deflated immediately and he appeared to sag against the desk behind him. "You..what!" it sounded like he was struggling to get the words out.

I looked around the room. Shocked faces peered back at me, waiting for me to explain. "A group of men from the village tried to take me" my voice caught a little as the memories resurfaced. The dirty hand around my mouth and the knife at my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second and shook my head. Hoping that the memories would lose their grasp. "They..they said that they were going to try and sell me. That men would pay a decent price for an elf child"

"And you know exactly what those _men _would have been paying for Thranduil" Thorin spat. Though I think the anger in his voice was directed towards the men this time rather than my father.

For a second I didn't want to look up or meet anyone's eyes. I felt ashamed and disgusted that I ended up in that situation at all. When I finally did look up, I saw the abject horror in Ada's eyes. It nearly made me stumble back.

"Thorin saved me Ada" I whispered "He killed them all and got me away from them"

Ada turned to look at Thorin. It was like he was seeing him in a brand new light. Thorin seemed taken aback by Ada's intense gaze.

After a few moments of silence Ada finally spoke "You..you _saved _my daughter" he closed his eyes for a brief moment. Breathing forcefully down his nose. When he opened his eyes again he said "I owe you a debt Thorin Oakenshield"

Thorin's mouth dropped open for only a second. Then he closed it and grit his teeth. "You owe me more than that Thranduil" Thorin hissed through his teeth "You owe _my people_ more than that"

The whole room held their breath as the two Kings looked at each other. Thorin was seething whereas Ada's gaze was strangely level.

Ada waited only a beat longer before he nodded his head. "You are correct, Thorin Oakenshield" His voice was strong and even. He didn't elaborate any further.

If Thorin was shocked before he was down right astounded now. His eyes widened almost comically and took a half step back. That was definitely not what he had expected to come out of Ada's mouth.

Mum and I tried to get the conversation back on track after that. I told them about our journey to the shire and beyond. Ada wasn't best pleased about the troll incident. Legolas on the other hand seemed to think that it was pretty cool. He tried to excitedly ask me more about it but was shut down by a look from mum. I whispered that I would tell him later under my breath.

Ada finally clued into the cryptic future knowledge I was explaining and asked how I had known. Mum chimed in to help me explain that one. Surprised was not a good enough word to explain their expressions. We had to move on before they could ask too many questions. Otherwise we would have been there all day.

Next came the part of the story that I was dreading. I could feel my palms sweating as it drew closer. My mind did not want to recall the moment Kili had sacrificed himself for me. How I had brought him back out of sheer desperation and anguish. However it still needed to be told.

"WHAT!" Ada sank against the desk, hand over his heart "You're life is bound to another!"

I averted my eyes away from Ada's pained face. His eyes were too intense to keep looking at. I gave a small nod. Not able to voice more.

"I have only just got you back and now you are cursed with a mortal life. I'm going to lose you again" his voice sounded strangled and distraught.

Quickly, my face shot up. I shook my head firmly. "No Ada. It's the other way around. He will live as long as I do" I urged "It's only if one of us is slain that we would die"

"Only if you are slain?!" Ada let out a humourless laugh "Oh that is perfectly fine then. It's not as if these dwarves plan to wage war against a fire-drake or anything is it"

Touché

He got me there. I didn't really have anything I could say back.

It only got worse when Ada zeroed in on the courting braid attached to the right side of my hair. Shaking my head earlier must have dislodged it from the rest of my filthy hair.

I covered the bead up with my hand. Face going bright red.

Legolas looked at me with bemusement. Like he was confused but that the circumstances were also hilarious. Ada, on the other hand, had dropped his face into his hands.

"You mean to tell me that my only daughter is betrothed to a _dwarf " _He looked up at me when he spoke the last word. Silently begging me to tell him that it wasn't true.

Thorin chose this moment to let his opinion of the situation be known. A booming laugh echoed off the walls, as the dwarf broke down laughing. His whole body shook and his head fell back. As if it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

Oh my god this is not helping my situation at all. Why did Thorin choose now to have a mental breakdown? Everyone looked over at his very un-Thorin-like reaction. The more he laughed the more intense my Ada's stares became. When he finally realised that everyone was looking at him he calmed down slightly. Wiped a tear from his eye and looked over at Ada with a jubilant, smug face.

"What can I say Thranduil? Perhaps us dwarves have some romantic tricks up our sleeves" Thorin laughed.

"Shhh please. You're not helping" I implored. My face felt so hot I must have been bright red.

Thorin raised his eyebrows at me. Giving me a look that I couldn't quite interpret. Then he at least toned his smile down somewhat and crossed his arms.

After that I tried to give them a very quick rundown of what had happened since then. Saying it all at a break-neck speed in the hopes that I could get through it all without any further questions.

Though occasionally they would get one through "So it was you that destroyed the statues?" asked Legolas.

I nodded. "I didn't mean to. It just sort of happened"

"Remind me never to make you angry" He chuckled.

The rest of the story was sped through quickly as Mum was there to relay it as well. When we finally finished, Legolas and Ada were stunned into silence

"Right" Ada announced, with authority, after a pause. Standing to his full height. "I think it's high time I met this _Kili"_

oOo

**Kili**

Kili was not having a good time at all.

He had just seen his One be dragged into a forest by her ankles. Screaming for her life as venomous spiders twice the size of hounds beared down upon her. He barely had time to cry out before a spider had launched itself at him. Mandibles snapped perilously close to his face. Thick strands of venom dripped out its mouth and landed on his face. Luckily he avoided getting it near his eyes.

The spiders jaw crashed into the ground just where his head had been. It threw up clods of dirt and webbing into the air.

His sword had dropped out of his hand as he was thrown to the ground. Heart beats pulsed in his ears as panic drew in. He kicked out at the spider's underbelly. Steel toe cap boots merely bounced off it. Not leaving a mark.

The spider reared its head back and made to attack again. Kili's eyes widened as he took in the monsters face.

One second it was barrelling down towards him and the next it had two arrows protruding from its eyes. One appearing consecutively after the other. It let out an unearthly screech and reeled back.

Just enough for Kili to scramble out from underneath the beast. Fili was right behind him dragging him further away from its jaws. His brother held onto his shoulders in an almost bruising grip.

"Thank you" he panted, bending forward to rest his hands on his knees. In an attempt to get his breath back.

It took him a moment to realise that the arrows had not come from any dwarven bow. In fact the company had now been overrun by new invaders.

Elves.

The woodland elves had finally made themselves known. Just in the nick of time as well. Any longer and he may have been the spiders next meal. A few of the other dwarves had also had a few close calls. After spending the last few days without Leah's healing light a lot of the dwarves were a little worse for wear. Their reflexes were definitely not what they should be and it had nearly cost them at several moments.

The elves quickly dispatched of all of the remaining spiders. Shouting to one another in that lilting language he had sometimes heard Leah and Ellen use.

After the spiders were gone they quickly turned their attention to the dwarves. They did not appear happy. Especially not as they began to round them all up and accused them of trespassing.

The dwarves were pushed into the middle of the small clearing. Elves lined the outside to prevent their escape. Kili looked around hoping to find Leah in the crowd. Surely if the elves had killed all the remaining spiders they would have found her.

Panic gripped him in a vice when he realised that she was not there. Ellen was missing too. Did the spiders get her too? Where was Leah? The elves should have found her. And what did it mean that they didn't? Had the spiders dragged her so far away that even the elves couldn't find her?

She could be fighting for her life injured and alone. She could be _dead_!

Kili's breathing picked up and he was starting to hyperventilate. Awful images assaulted him of Leah scared and alone. Dying in the forest beyond his reach. It was like the misty mountains all over again when Uncle Thorin had told him that she'd fallen down the mountain. He had nearly launched himself over the edge. Dwalin and Thorin just about caught him before he could.

"What is wrong with him?" asked a ginger haired elf, peering down at him with what could have been concern.

Fili grabbed his brother around the shoulders and hauled him up so that he was standing straighter. "Nothing, nothing he's fine" said Fili in a not very convincing voice.

The ginger haired elf narrowed her eyes slightly before shaking her head and moving on.

"What's wrong Kili?" Fili forcefully whispered into his ear.

Kili grabbed onto his brother, eyes wide. "Where's leah? Fili where's Leah?" panic leached into his voice.

A look of concern flitted across Fili's face. He stood back slightly and peered around, trying to find her. When he could not see her his eyes returned to Kili. A hint of fear gathering in them "I don't know, I can't see Ellen or Bilbo either"

Kili was just about to scream out when the breath was knocked out of him. It felt like someone had reached out and pulled on his soul.

The Bond.

Leah had tugged on it. He nearly cried in relief at the gesture. His hand covered his heart "She's alive. She's alive" he breathed.

"Obviously, otherwise you'd be dead too remember" Fili added.

Oh, that's right.

In his panic he had forgotten about that aspect of their bond. He sent a reply to mirror Leah's. Letting her know that he had felt her. He desperately wished that he could see the line that tethered them together. Then he would at least know which direction she lay in. Leah had told him that she was able to see it but so far he had been unable to. It must have been her elf eyes.

The quick burst of relief he felt quickly faded as more and more distressed thoughts flickered into his mind. She may have been fine for that moment but this forest was dangerous. Anything could crawl out of it's depths. They were no longer on the relative safety of the elven road.

His panic only increased as the elves started to lead them away. A hand forcefully led him away. Kili tried to dig his heels in to prevent them from dragging him further away from Leah. It did not work however. Another pair of hands came around to push him on.

"Stop, no!" he struggled "We need to find her!"

A blonde elf, who seemed strangely familiar-though he knew he'd never seen him before- came up from behind the company. "Find whom, there is no one else out here"

"What? no no there has to be" Kili shook his head. The elves were nearly lifting him up as they dragged him onwards. His toes scrapped the ground.

"Calm down, laddie" urged Balin from behind him, in a whisper, "We'll be able to get out of 'ere and find her faster if ye stop antagonising the elves"

Antagonising the elves? He wasn't doing that was he. Then again, he realised, desperately attempting to escape probably wasn't helping.

With a deep breath he suppressed all of the instincts that were telling to fight back. He slumped in the elves arms and they quickly let him go. Walking on his own two feet. They led them through the forest. It grew less and less sickly as they walked. The leaves were actually green and the soil was a healthy brown. Sunlight poured in through the canopy above illuminating the path before them.

Kili managed to quash down the urge to escape. Right up until he became aware of the dungeons he was being led to.

Once again he began to struggle against the elf holding him. If he was in a cell then there was no chance that he would be able to find Leah. His fight was in vain as he was unceremoniously thrown into a cell. Fili was already stood inside looking unimpressed. He caught himself against the wall and whirled around. Attempting to flee back out of the door.

Bars slammed across him before he got the chance. He gripped onto them with all his might and tried to shake them. They would not budge.

The elf did not seem very pleased by his display. A frown pulled at the sides of her mouth. "Please" Kili begged, not knowing what else to do. "You need to find her. There's a girl still out there. An elf! She was attacked by the spiders and I need to find her. Her mother is still out there too"

The elf looked down upon him with genuine empathy. Not as if he were something beneath her boot like he had expected. "You care deeply about this elf" she stated.

"I love her" he said barely above a breath.

The elf drew back with a gasp. Then she quickly composed herself. "I will attempt to look for her, dwarf. Though I cannot guarantee that I will find her"

Kili let out a breath that he was holding and he sagged against the bars in relief "Thank you. Thank you…" he drew out the last word as he realised that he did not know the elf's name.

Thankfully, she inferred from his humming what he was asking. "Tauriel, my name is Tauriel"

"Thank you, again"

"Don't thank me yet" And then she was gone.

Fili tried to comfort him but it wasn't really working. He gave Kili a crushing hug and told him to keep his hopes up. Though when his mind was going through every worst case scenario it was extremely difficult to think hopeful thoughts. It had been what felt like hours. Though there was no real way to tell how much time had actually passed.

He had taken to pacing the cell. Much to the chagrin of his brother. Fili was sitting on the bench tracing Kili's path with his eyes. "Will you stop pacing please you're gonna make me dizzy"

"It's either this or I start ramming into cell door" Kili explained.

"A wouldnae recommend it lad" came Dwalin's voice from somewhere above them "think I've done ma shoulder in"

Kili looked at Fili with an I-told-you-so expression. "Fine" Fili conceded "You can keep pacing"

Kili started back up again without a second thought. "You have done that soul thing though. That means she's okay right?"

"I mean yes, before when she's done it, it meant that she was okay" Kili said "But what if she was doing it as a call for help this time? What if she's saying that she's hurt and I need to help her? Jesus Christ what if she's bleeding out in the forest somewhere?"

Fili stood up and reached for Kili's shoulders. Effectively stopping his pacing and his rambling. "Calm down, calm down. You're mind is blowing this all out of proportion." said Fili "Look at me" Kili raised his eyes to look at his brother. "Leah will be alright. She's resourceful"

Kili nodded, desperately wanting to believe him.

"Also what is Jesus Christ?"

"I don't know. It's something Leah says but I've never actually asked" Kili confessed.

A loud commotion broke out somewhere beyond their cell. They both turned to inspect the new sound. There had been a lot of strange shouting earlier as well but they were all in that elf language of theirs. So Kili had no idea what they were about.

This time the noises were mixed with the sound of doors banging against the walls. Kili pushed his head to the bars to try and peer out. Fili shoved him to the side to try and get a better view.

What they saw was not what they were expecting.

The elves had returned. Except this time they were now opening all of the doors to dwarves cells. The dwarves poured out of their cells. Grumbling but relieved to be let out. All the elves were quite methodical and had all the doors opened in no time.

Fili and Kili walked out of their own cell once the door was opened. Joining the other dwarves on the stairs.

"A cannae believe he did it" exclaimed Dwalin from a couple of stairs above Kili

"What?" asked Kili

"Thorin, the crazy bastard, musta convinced the pointy eared prick to let us go"

Balin shook his head at Dwalin "Well it's a good job it was not yer who had to convince him. We'd be stuck here forever"

Once all the dwarves were let out the elves made their way to the top of the stairs. The blonde elf, the strangely familiar one from the forest was amongst the crowd.

"Your possessions are to be returned to you and you are to be escorted to your own chambers" said the blonde elf.

"Tha's more like it" grumbled Gloin "Showin' a bit of respect"

The blonde elf shook his head with a smile. Not taking the jab to heart.

The dwarves all began to trundle up the stairs. Wanting to be out of that blasted dungeon. Even if it technically was one of the nicer places they'd stayed in. It was more about the principle of the matter. They would rather be in a filthy hovel of their own free will, than a gilded prison.

Blonde-y put his hand up, signalling them to stop moving. The elf looked at every dwarf individually. scrutinising each face in turn. Some he skimmed over immediately without a second thought. Like Oin and Balin. But others he lingered on. Fili and Kili's in particular "Before you go, however, I wish to know which one of you goes by the name of Kili"

All the blood in Kili's face drained at the sound of his name. A strangled noise escaped his mouth that was supposed to be a "WHAT" but got mangled on the way out. How did they know his name? Why did they know his name?

The noise drew the attention of the blonde elf. His gaze zeroed in on Kili and he felt like a deer in torchlight (Or whatever the Earth phrase was supposed to be). A strange smile spread across the elf's face. He looked like he had just received a gift. It was very unnerving.

"You must be Kili then" said the elf, tilting his head "The king wishes to speak with you"

"The king?"

"The elf king?"

"What does he want with Kili?"

Many of the dwarves expressed concern.

Kili's pulse was a drumbeat through his skull as he tried to think of what reason the King would want to see him. He wasn't a King. He wasn't even the heir for Mahal's sake.

"I don't claim to know the King's mind" said the elf, in a way that suggested he knew exactly why the King wanted to see Kili.

"Come along then Kili. The King awaits" said the elf.

"You can't take him" said Fili, grabbing onto his brothers arm "How can we trust you?"

"Thorin Oakenshield is also with the King. He awaits you too" explained the elf.

Kili felt himself calm ever so slightly. If his Uncle would be there, surely it would not be anything bad. He could trust Thorin emphatically. He nodded towards the elves and made to go with them.

Fili held onto his arm, shaking his head. Kili gently removed the hand. "I'll be alright Fi"

Kili followed the blonde elf while the rest followed the other group. Once he was no longer in the company of the other dwarves he found his panic start to creep up again.

He also decided that it would be one of his few moments to ask about Leah again. Kili stopped in the corridor. The elf turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I've already asked one of you this but I'm going to ask again anyway. There's a girl, an elf. Her name is Leah. She was attacked by the spiders and I need to find her. I need to know that she is safe" implored Kili.

The elf stared at him with what appeared to be begrudging respect and surprise. "Rest assured dwarf, she has already been found. Alive and well"

Kili did not hear the way the elf's voice caught on the word 'alive'. He was too busy breaking down with relief. A huge sigh left his body and it felt like a weight had been lifted "Thank Mahal"

"And her mother?" he asked "Is she safe too?"

"Yes" said the elf almost wistfully "She is safe too"

They didn't speak another word as they made their way through the kingdom. It was like a maze, winding its way through the mountain. Starkly different to a dwarven layout that favoured straight lines. Thankfully, with his stone sense he could vaguely know how to get through the mountain.

After what seemed like forever they reached a closed door. The corridors had been growing increasingly more opulent and the door itself was a carved masterpiece of an elk. The elf strolled up and opened the door nonchalantly. as if he hadn't just walked into one of the kings rooms.

"Legolas, I can't believe you actually went down there" came a voice he had been longing to hear for hours.

"What can I say? I wanted to see the dwarf for myself" chuckled Legolas.

Kili paid no mind to whatever 'Legolas' was saying. As soon as he heard her voice he swung his way inside. He did not register anyone else in the room. His vision tunneled in on her. Leah's face lit up as soon as she saw him. Glowing with that smile of hers.

"Leah" he sighed in relief. She was happy and unhurt. It was all he could ask for. Without further thought he darted towards her and bundled her up in his arms. "I'm glad you're okay" he mumbled into her shoulder.

Someone very loudly cleared their throat behind them. "So this is the dwarf then I take it" came a very deep and regal voice.

The authoritative tone made Kili wheel around. With seeing Leah he had forgotten that he was here for another reason. When he did turn around however his mind whirred to a surprising stop. He was looking upon the face of a man that he had seen before. A face that Leah herself had shown him. In those paintings of hers. There was no denying who this elf was.

"Wait, wait you're Leah's adad" he cried out, before he could stop himself. He was too caught off guard to really think about what he was saying.

Leah's adad's eyes narrowed and Kili felt a hint of fear shoot through him. "So is that how you address a King? _Kili"_ Said Leah's dad, his voice low and dangerous.

Kili's eyes widened dramatically. " ?" he sputtered.

He turned towards Leah, hoping she would shed some light. Her cheeks had taken on a rosy hint and she looked at him apologetically. Then she turned to her adad "Ada, don't be mean to him please"

Her adad was the King!

Leah's adad was Thranduil!

Leah was a princess!?

Kili's mind was struggling to process everything at once. How could he feel so many emotions in one day? At this point he just needed a hard reset. Someone needed to knock him out so that he could clear his mind.

"I'm not being mean Liriel" said Thranduil to Liriel. Then he turned to look at Kili. His saccharine smile was sickly sweet "He would most certainly know if I was"

Kili gulped.

"Why don't you tell us, in your own words, the story of you and my daughter?"

There was a menacing glint in Thranduil's eye that made Kili want to back away slowly. He felt like he would much rather go back out and face the spiders again than to ever face Thranduil.

While he did not want to say anything, he also feared what the King would do if he refused to speak. So Kili fumbled his way through the story. The only reaction he received was when he explained about sacrificing himself for Leah. Thranduil nodded towards Kili. One of the only positive actions he'd done. It was encouraging. Surely that meant that he did not completely despise him. Right?

The small confidence boost he gained from Thranduil's approval was shattered almost instantly. The Elvenking's gaze slid towards the courting bead that lay against his collarbone. Kili understood in that moment, that Thranduil knew exactly what it was.

It felt like the world had opened up at his feet and threatened to swallow him up. How was he supposed to explain to an _Elf King _that he had asked his daughter to court him? His stomach churned painfully.

"Am I right in saying that you have asked _my daughter _to court you?" Thranduil surmised. His voice was mostly even but a hint of danger lingered under the surface. Like a wolf in the grass waiting to pounce on a deer.

"Er…I..er i did" Kili choked out.

"You do know it is customary to ask for her Adar's blessing _before _you propose?"

Mahal have mercy on him.

So many alarm bells were ringing in Kili's head. Telling him to flee. "I..erm..I did not that. I..I apologise Lord Thranduil"

Leah's hand reached out and clasped his in both of hers. It felt like a lifeline. He clung onto her for dear life.

Thranduil peered down at their joined hands and then back to Kili. A smile then spread across his face. "Well, _Kili, _I do look forward to us getting to know each other a lot better in the coming days"

Kili did not feel the same way.

Poor Kili is not having a fun time. I did want to finish the whole of mirkwood in this chapter but then I hit 6000 words and I'd barely gotten through any of it lol


	30. I saw the heart of you

Okay so once again I thought I could finish the whole of Mirkwood in one chapter. Then said chapter reached 15000 words and it wasn't even finished. I got too caught up in the fluff. So I have now decided that it will be split up into 3 chapters. 1 and 2 are already finished so I will post part 2 tomorrow. I hope you enjoy x

Introducing Kili probably could have gone better. I felt really bad that I hadn't been able to forewarn him at all. As soon as Ada had said that he wished to meet Kili, Legolas was off in a flash. Readily volunteering his services. He didn't even give me a chance to follow him. Which left me twiddling my thumbs in Ada's study, praying that Kili would be okay.

When he did arrive, Ada wasted no time before going into over-protective Ada mode. Also, I honestly don't think Ada would have reacted any differently if Kili wasn't a dwarf. I could have introduced a lovely elf boy and Ada would still look down upon the person who dared to court his beloved daughter.

I held onto Kili's hand hoping that it helped him in some way. The way he gripped my hand back suggested that it did. The guy was plainly terrified by my Ada. Which I didn't really like. I wanted a happy reunion. Not to have it intermingled with mild threats. I would have to talk to Ada about it at some point.

After Ada had finished giving Kili the third degree, Mum very kindly stepped in. Saying how we'd all had a long day and that some of us needed a bath. The wrinkle Ada's nose made suggested that he was thinking the same thing.

"Legolas, why don't you show Thorin and Kili to the guest quarters. I'll show Leah to her old rooms" said Mum, her hand was still resting on Ada's arm.

Kili seemed simultaneously like he wanted to bolt but that he also didn't want to leave my side. His eyes moved towards the door yet his grip on my hand tightened as my Mum spoke.

"Actually" said Ada "That might not be best. Liriel's rooms have not been touched for near 1500 years. They would need to be seen to first."

Ah.

Well it kind of made sense. Not much point going into a room if it would only cause you pain. But at the same time it kind of ruined my plans to lie in hot soapy water for the next few hours. I needed to wash away the grossness of Mirkwood forest. My clothes were disgusting and my skin wasn't faring much better. Dark smudges of god knows what lined the patches of skin that my clothes hadn't quite covered. There were also small holes in my shirt that had appeared after the spider attack. Whether it was from being hauled across the forest floor or whether spider venom can burn through clothes is anyone's guess.

I quickly turned towards Legolas. "I'm stealing your bath" I said without further thought.

Legolas's rooms had been next to mine anyway. It saved time I guess.

"What, why?"

I simply pointed to myself. Raising an eyebrow. Letting him soak in every gross inch of my face.

"I understand _why_. What I intended to say was, why _my_ bath?"

"Because you are my wonderful, kind, twin brother and you love me" I replied with a small pout.

"But you will track dirt everywhere" he moaned.

I chuckled "Tough, it's already happening"

Mum had a big smile on her face as she looked between the two of us. As if she had missed our bickering. "Oh Legolas, share your bathroom with your sister will you?"

Legolas knew that he wasn't going to win. A small smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "Of course, Naneth".

With that it seemed like were all going to go our separate ways. Thorin stood a little straighter and uncrossed his arms. Legolas moved towards the door, ready to walk through it. I squeezed Kili's hand and leaned down to his ear. "I'm sorry. I'll find you later, okay. I love you" I whispered quickly. Low enough so that only Kili could catch what I was saying.

Kili nodded in reply. "Amrâlizi" he spoke back. Not a whisper but only one other person in the room would have been able to understand what he was saying anyway. It sounded similar to amrâlimê so I guess it had something to do with love. I would have to ask him later.

Kili relinquished his grasp on my hand with a little reluctance. Then both he and Thorin made to leave the room. Thorin clapped Kili on the back and held onto his shoulder. He whispered something into Kili's ear that sounded like encouragement.

Before they left, however, a sudden thought came to mind. It was like a feeling on the back of your neck. It made me realise a part of the story I was forgetting. Of a halfling who may or may not be wandering around the castle. Now that the dwarves were no longer imprisoned he didn't need to be in hiding. I also had an inkling that Bilbo was somewhere nearby.

"Wait" I said, before they could leave.

They turned around and I got a fair share of raised eyebrows. I ignored them and turned towards the now open door. "Bilbo are you out there? You can probably come out now"

"Bilbo who is this Bilbo?" I heard Ada say from behind me.

Before anyone could answer him, however, a bewildered hobbit face peered around the door. He wrinkled his nose in the way he does when he's anxious and he gave a small wave "Hello"

I turned back to see Ada's confused face. With great difficulty I managed to bite down on the giggle that threatened to escape. "What on Arda?" he whispered "How has this halfling been wandering around my halls without my knowledge?"

Legolas seemed equally as confused "We only found dwarves outside"

"Bilbo, what are you doing here?" asked Thorin, though there was a hint of amazement in his voice.

Bilbo's face went red with all the questions. It deepened even further when Thorin spoke. "Well I was trying to find a way to break you all out," he said. then he looked towards Mum and I. "But it turns out that won't be necessary anymore"

I smiled shyly back at him.

oOo

Legolas's room was simultaneously the same and different. The general layout was as I remembered. The bed was in the same place; as well as the bathroom and the wardrobe. However, there were a lot of new additions. All the wall hangings were different. Which was sort of like when a teenager redecorates their room with 'new' posters because they're 'cooler'. There was also an assortment of weaponry dotted around the room. Bows and arrows. Daggers. Even a huge sword that did not look usable in the slightest.

It was pretty tidy though, so I can see why he was concerned about me tracking dirt through it.

"He's definitely redecorated since we were last here" Mum mused.

She had never seemed as happy as she did right then. Finally back where we belonged. With the people that we love. However, at the same time there was still a hint of sadness that pulled at her eyes. I think seeing how much had changed since we were here made her realise how much we had missed.

At least that's what I felt in that moment. It seemed logical that Mum would feel it too.

Mum led me into Legolas's bathroom. I nearly cried in relief when I saw it. Though I probably had no tears left to cry at that point. My tear ducts needed a rest after today.

Natural light filtered in from more of those mirrored channels in the ceiling. They were angled in such a way so that they would not blind you when you looked up. It wasn't as bright as it had been earlier. Which suggested that quite a bit of time had passed. Thankfully, there were lit torches around the room.

The bath was more like a swimming pool. It was was inlaid into the floor and took up half of the room. A shelf was carved into the wall that held an assortment of soaps. All of which I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on. Legolas would have to restock after I was finished in here.

Steam was already rising from it. Curling and condensing in the cooler air. My eyebrows pulled together for a second in confusion. How was the bath already drawn? We'd only just arrived.

Mum saw my bewilderment and chuckled. She seemed to know exactly what my confusion was about. "Don't you remember Leah" Mum said "All the baths are part of an underground river system. There are heating chambers in different parts of the mountain so that the water is always perfect bathing temperature"

A memory quickly swam in focus. Of Legolas and I, using the current in the water to race a pair of toy boats.

I moved closer towards the bath to check for myself. Sure enough the water was all moving in one direction. Not fast enough to jostle you too much but enough to wash away all of the dirt that came off you. I felt sorry for whoever had a bath that was the next one along the river. Hopefully they decided to wait a little before getting into the bath.

"Will the next bath along not get all the grime that I wash off" I smirked at Mum "Doesn't seem very hygienic"

"No Leah" Mum chuckled, then she pointed to the side of the bath. "There are grates on either side of the bath that filter out any impurities"

I peered into the bath where she was pointing. A silver looking metal grid covered the side. There was probably some elven technology involved that improved it's filtering skills too. It also seemed like an added safety precaution. Wouldn't want people drifting away into an underground river now would we?

"How neat."

"I'll leave you to it then, Leah" she patted me on the shoulder "The towels are on that shelf over there." She pointed to the left corner. Then a crinkle formed between her eyes. " As well as a robe I think. Though I don't think your brother would appreciate you taking that"

I felt a grin pull at the sides of my mouth "I'm gonna take it anyway"

Mum sighed and shook her head. Then a smile grew in place. She drew me in for a hug. Kissing my forehead. "We're finally here Leah. We're finally home"

"I love you, Mum" I mumbled into her shoulder.

"I love you too, Leah" Then she let out a breathy laugh and stepped away from me. Her eyes were shiny once again. How she had any tears left was beyond me.

"Right, you get in your bath. I'll make sure that there is some clean clothes for you when you get out"

I shook my head "Don't worry about that mum. Just go back to Ada" I said while gently turning her around. Pushing her in the direction of the door.

I could tell that she was desperate to get back to him. She was trying to put 'Mum duties' over her feelings. But I wasn't going to let her.

She left then with only a little more provocation. Closing the bathroom door behind her. I smiled at the closed door for a moment before returning my gaze to the glory that lay before me. Sweet, sweet water that felt like a blessing from above.

I did not waste a moment longer. My clothes peeled off me in the most disgusting way. Parts of it was stuck to my skin. The clothes themselves were also stiff from the accumulation of grime. I had never been happier to fling them away from me.

There were stairs carved into the sides of the bath. However, I forwent them in favour of jumping straight in. The sudden change in temperature shocked me for a second. But my gasp quickly turned into a sigh as the heat soaked into my body.

All of the soap was used very liberally as I attempted to deep cleanse my entire being. The perfume from all of them was intoxicating. Combining together to make a scent that was nearly overpowering. But after so long with only the smell of rot in the air, it was perfect.

My skin finally felt clean and my hair was soft and silky. This is what dreams are made of.

Eventually, I climbed out of the bath. It's hard to tell how long you were in there when the water never cools. Though the natural light that had been filtering in was now significantly reduced.

I would have happily lay there longer but my eyes were starting to close. Now that I'd finally allowed my body to relax, the day was catching up to me. With all the emotional rollercoasters, this had to be one of the longest days of my life. How had it only been that morning that I was attacked by spiders? It already felt like a million years ago.

Steam rolled off my body as the warm water hit the cool air. The cooler air caused goosebumps to form on my skin. I quickly gathered one of the towels I had laid next to the bath. Wrapping it around me without preamble. It was soft, fluffy and smelled of something floral.

The towel wicked away most of the moisture clinging to my body; almost instantly. Then I patted the towel through my hair. So that it was only damp rather than dripping wet. After it was more manageable I went about rebraiding the courting bead into my hair. It had not tarnished in anyway throughout the journey. Still glowing with an otherworldly pearlescent hue.

Legolas's robe went around me next. A mischievous grin formed at the corners of my mouth. It was a deep green with long bell sleeves. It completely swallowed me up. At least half a foot of it dragged along the floor. It would make a perfect dress if I didn't already know that it was a bathrobe.

Shuffling sounded behind the closed door. Someone was moving about in the room beyond. I tiptoed up to the door and cracked it open slightly. From what I could see, it was Legolas. Which made sense considering it was his room. His arms were loaded with fabric that he haphazardly threw onto his bed.

When I realised who it was I pushed the door open. Legolas turned at the sound. His eyes narrowed at what I was wearing.

"Is that my robe?"

"Maybe"

He shook his head with a laugh "You have only just arrived back and you are already stealing my things"

"Borrowing is a better word"

"Oh, is that what it is" he laughed again. "Anyway, I assume these are yours. Nana practically threw them at me as I was walking passed and told me to give them to you"

I craned my neck to see what Legolas was pointing at. The pile of fabric he had been carrying appeared to be clean clothes. Though they were a bit rumpled now thanks to Legolas's careful handling of them. I didn't mind though. The joy of having clean clothes far outweighed the potential creases.

"Aw, thank you" I said with a smile.

"I guess I will leave you to change then" he said before heading back towards the door.

Though I did hear him say "Cannot believe I'm being kicked out of my room again" in a kind of stage-whisper. It made me smile. It had been so long since I'd been able to have a normal sibling conversation with him. I was savouring every one.

As soon as he closed the door I moved towards the pile of clothes. There was some underwear mixed in that I happily snatched up first. It felt good to wear clean underwear again. Next, I looked at the dresses. There were a couple that were clearly for everyday wear while the other seemed to be some kind of pyjamas.

They were all more opulent than anything I'd ever worn on earth. The fabric was thick, yet soft and was obviously very expensive.

I decided to put on a proper dress for now and save the pyjamas for later. While I desperately wanted to sleep, I also needed to go and see the dwarves. I needed to know that they didn't hate me now that they knew who my Ada was. A small part of me was terrified that they would hold it against me and think differently of me. After spending months getting to know them all, it would really hurt if they turned against me.

Thankfully, the dresses were easy to get on. No corset or need of a maid to help you get into them. The one I chose was a luxurious, soft gold colour. It had long sleeves and a long skirt. Yet surprisingly it didn't drag on the floor. Considering the height of all the other elves, it baffled me.

I lifted up the bottom of the dress and inspected the hem. It was as neat as one would expect a dress of elven make to be. However the thread at the bottom was a lot brighter than the thread on other parts of the dress. It was clearly newer.

How long had I been in the bath for that someone had managed to hem an entire dress? That's elves for you I guess.

I combed through my hair before it got the chance to tangle up too much. Not that it really tangled that much these days. The hair was one of the best things about being an elf.

The last thing I put on was a pair of soft slippers. When I seemed to be mostly decent, I dared to venture out from Legolas's room. The corridor was empty when I peered out. Ada and Mum were probably somewhere together and Legolas had gone somewhere to give me privacy.

That did leave me with a bit of a problem though. I didn't know where the dwarves rooms were. Ada said that they were to be housed in the guest chambers but I could only vaguely remember where they were. Young me had not needed to venture there very often.

Still, I decided to try anyway. I wandered down the corridor. In the direction I knew would lead to the centre of the mountain. My mind was set on waving down the first person I came across and ask them for help.

It was a few corridors later before I came across another person. She was carrying a large basket of clothes. Her hair was almost black and was styled into a simple braid. She hummed happily as she walked.

I waved her down when I saw her. As soon as she looked at me, the basket fell from her arms. She gasped loudly and covered her heart with her hands. The clothes she was carrying were strewn across the floor. I instantly felt bad for scaring her.

"I'm sorry" I said quickly, heat building in my cheeks. I bent down and began to put the clothes back into the basket "I didn't mean to scare you"

"Oh no, gwinig iell" Tears had gathered in her eyes. Her hand covered her mouth as a sob bubbled up. She dropped down next to me. "Baby girl. You did not scare me." She placed a hand on my cheek "By Eru, it's really you"

Now that I was looking at her face I could recognise her. "Emiel" I said with a smile. She was one of the maid servants assigned to the royal chambers. My mind began throwing me memories of all the times she had wrestled me to get dressed or combed my hair.

I didn't protest as she brought me into a hug. For a second she held me tightly. Then she let me go and smiled at me.

Her eyes widened in shock as she only just seemed to realise what she had just done. "Oh your highness, I apologise. I shouldn't have just thrown myself at you" Then she looked at the clothes still on the floor "And you shouldn't have to pick these up my lady"

I was slightly taken aback by the shift in tone. It felt very strange to be treated with such reverence. I still felt like a normal person after all. Not royalty.

"No, no it's fine Emiel" I said with an encouraging smile "You can hug me whenever you want to"

The clothes were quickly thrown into the basket and we both stood up. A huge smile was still on her face.

"I kind of need your help"

The basket was back at her hip "Of course, my lady, whatever you need"

"I was trying to find my way to where the dwarves are but I can't quite remember the way"

"The dwarves?" confusion was clear in her voice. then she shook her head. "I, I mean of course my Lady. I'll show you the way"

Emiel span around and began walking back the way she came. I diligently followed along after her. We encountered many other elves along the way. Some I more easily recognised than others. All of them confessed their happiness at my wellbeing. While bowing or curtseying. It felt surreal. I managed to shyly say thank you every time it happened.

I could tell that I was nearing the guest chambers by the change in sound. The raucous laughter and the deep voiced shouting could be no one other than the dwarves. If the laughter was anything to go by, then I would say that their spirits seemed to be higher than they'd been in a while. Getting out of that god forsaken forest would cheer anyone up.

I relaxed slightly at the sounds. Some of the tension I'd been feeling-at the thought of facing the dwarves-eased out of my shoulders. If they were happy then that meant that there was less chance of them hating me. Right?

Emiel led me up to a door where all the noise seemed to be emanating from. She turned towards me with a smile, indicating her head towards the door. "The dwarves are housed here your highness" Then a smile tugged at her mouth "Though you may have already guessed by the sound"

"Dwarves aren't known to be a quiet bunch" I chuckled, then I smiled back at her "Thank you, Emiel"

"You are welcome your Highness. Do you require anything else?"

I shook my head "No, thank you. You can get back to whatever you were supposed to be doing before I dragged you away"

Emiel curtseyed, before she left.

Once she was gone I turned back towards the door. The voices hadn't changed, which indicated that they hadn't heard us on the other side. Now that I was alone, the tension had returned. What would I say to them?

I rubbed my face in a bid to compose myself. Come on Leah, buck up and be brave.

My hands lowered and I straightened myself up. With all the confidence I could muster, I raised my hand to knock against the door (I wasn't just going to barge in unannounced after all).

The knock was hesitant but was evidently still heard. As the voices behind the door began to quiet down. Gone were the shouts, now they were replaced by conspiratorial whispering. Whispering that I just managed to pick up.

"Who's knocking on?"

"Do we let them in?"

I decided to quell their worries. "Err it's Leah...Can I come in?" I asked nervously.

The whispering picked up in full force. Everyone speaking at once until it became just a mishmash of noise. For a second, I thought that they weren't going to let me in. My face fell at the thought.

However, the door finally opened. I blinked at how suddenly it was opened. On the other side. I could see a large living area. There were four large settees facing each other in a square formation. With a low lying table in the middle. Which was currently ladened with food. Well, it looked like it may have been full originally but had been reduced drastically. Most of the dwarves and one hobbit seemed to be sat there. Digging into the spread.

They did seem a lot happier. Their eyes a lot brighter. Though I could detect a hint of nervousness from a few of them.

Dwalin was the one who opened the door. His broad frame with taking up most of the entryway. He crossed his arms over his chest and levelled me with a hard gaze.

His look made me shrink back slightly.

"So the _Princess_ deigns to grace us with her presence" said Dwalin in a mocking voice.

"Dwalin don't be cruel" I heard from somewhere behind Dwalin.

Kili's voice. I craned my neck around Dwalin's frame until I could see his figure standing close to the door. He gave me a small smile when our eyes met.

Dwalin however decided not to listen to Kili and persevered. "Do ye want us to start kissin' yer feet now or something?"

The accusation stung.

"Dwalin!" huffed Kili

"You can if you want to Dwalin they are freshly washed now" I said tentatively, trying to play off the hurt with a joke.

Dwalin stared at me for a moment longer before bursting out laughing. Then he moved out of the way and gestured into the room.

I took that as a good sign and hurried into the room. Kili was next to me in an instant. There was a smile on his face and he was clearly still happy to see me. It felt like the breath I'd been holding had finally released. I happily folded myself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I'm glad you're here" he whispered.

"Me too"

We separated from our hug but Kili still held my hand in encouragement. I looked back around the room. Most were crowded around the table or dotted around the room. Thorin was standing by the fireplace, a goblet in hand. His eyes weren't full of hatred which seemed like a good sign. Everyone was looking at me. An expectant air hung in the room.

"Hi" I said, with an awkward wave.

There were a few moments of tense silence before it was graciously broken by Nori. Who was also stuffing his face.

"I can't believe that your related to that pointy eared prick, lass" said Nori around a piece of meat pie "You seemed so nice"

"Seemed?" past tense, didn't sound like a good sign. "Am I not nice anymore?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant that it's hard to wrap my noggin around the fact that he could produce someone half as decent as you"

"Thank you?..I think"

I know he was insulting my Ada but I couldn't really blame him for that. Ada isn't one of the most well liked people.

"Does that mean you don't hate me now?" I asked hesitantly.

I heard a few scoffs and grumbles. "O' course we don't hate ye, lass." said Bofur, who was sat between Bifur and Bombur.

Bifur pointed to his head "Ye the one who fixed my head. Am not just gonna start hatin' ye just because ye Adad's an arse" he said with sincerity.

"Some of us are just a bit hurt that you didn't tell us" said Fili, who was leaning over the back of the sofa to look at me.

"Annoyed more like" whispered Dwalin from by the door.

"Dwalin you're not helping" said Kili.

Dwalin just shrugged and crossed his arms again.

"I'm sorry" I said, meaning it. I didn't know what else to say really.

"It's alright lass. Some may take a bit of time to get used to the idea. But we're not gonna cast ye out" said Balin "Ye did sign a contract after all. We can't get rid o' ye that easily" he chuckled.

I smiled back.

"Come and have some food, Leah" encouraged Kili.

Before I could agree (Which I really wanted to because I'd hardly eaten all day) Thorin interrupted.

"I would like to speak with you first" he stood away from the fireplace and put his goblet down on a side table.

He didn't give me much chance to reply before he gestured to a door. Not wanting him to be find further reason to be displeased with me, I followed on without question. Kili squeezed my hand before letting it go.

Thorin opened the door which appeared to lead to someone's bedroom. It was a rather strange place to have a chat. It felt rather like I was invading someone's space. Thankfully, thorin didn't stop in the room he carried on to a different door. Once opened, a fresh breeze drifted in. Which I breathed in with eagerness.

It led to a small balcony that ran across the edge of the mountain. There was another door at the far end which suggested that it was shared with another room. However, I doubt that anyone was going to interrupt us. A blanket of stars hung high above us. The air was cool, as night had fallen. It felt wonderful against my heated face and helped me to clear my head

I leaned against the stone railing. The door closed softly behind me. My hands traced the patterns on the stone. It was smooth beneath my hand. I was scared to look at Thorin. Not wanting to face him. But I knew I had to. It was inevitable.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second: steeling myself. Then I opened my eyes and finally turned to face Thorin. His arms were once again crossed. His presence seemed looming even though he was shorter than me.

"Why did you not tell me of this?" He asked gruffly.

I knew this was coming but I also didn't know how to explain myself properly "I was scared okay. What was I supposed to say?" I blurted "Hey Thorin you know that guy you really hate, well that's my dad"

Thorin gave me a displeased look. "I still would have wanted to know. This is something that affects this quest"

I shrunk a little at his tone. "It worked out though didn't it. You're not being held prisoner anymore" My voice became higher pitched as I got defensive.

Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "That's not the point Leah. The point is that you withheld important information."

"In my defense I only found out when I found my mum again. It was a surprise to me too"

Thorin levelled me with another look. "Leah, that was over two weeks ago" Said Thorin, clearly unimpressed.

My face heated up. Okay technically it was, but a lot of things had happened during that time. We were in a death forest for a lot of it.

Thorin sighed and uncrossed his arms. The tension in the air eased as Thorin's posture did. His body language made me hopeful that he had, at least partly, forgiven me. "In the future I need to know that you will not withhold something like this. My reaction shouldn't matter. If it affects this company then I need to know of it"

"Of course" I agreed quickly. Anything to bring this conversation to an end.

"Good" Thorin nodded, then looked out into the night. You couldn't see the lonely mountain from this vantage point. But the stars still illuminated the tops of the trees. They blew gently in the breeze, No hint of the rotting forest we just left.

Thorin leaned against the railing next to me. "I guess I can't begrudge you for who your parents are. We should not be judged based on what our families have done"

I could sense that there was more to what he was saying. He wasn't only talking about me. Thorin was also including himself in that sentence. People tried to judge him because of his grandfather's deeds.

"You're right" I whispered.

We stood in silence for a few moments. Just soaking in our surroundings. "If everything I've heard is true, then Thranduil has been half mad for over 1000 years"

I felt my breath catch in my throat. Where was this going?

"That is why he left my people to fend for themselves when Smaug came"

"Maybe" I said, my voice barely a whisper. It hurt to think about.

Thorin's jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "Then he should not have been King. If his sanity was being called into question then the crown should have gone to his son" Anger was clear in his voice.

The thought of Legolas as King didn't sit well with me. He always prefered adventure. Too much of a free spirit. Even though he is loyal to his home, I feel like he would grow resentful if he was tied down to it.

Thorin's statement was also reminiscent of another situation. Of a Dwarf King, who's gold sickness brought his sanity into question. If the crown had been passed to Thrain when the first signs of gold sickness arose in Thror, then Smaug may never have attacked.

Things were never that simple. Situations like these are always so much more complex than they first appeared.

"That sounds familiar to me, Thorin" I said, finding the confidence to look him in the eye. "Like another King"

Hurt and anger flashed across Thorin's eyes as he comprehended what I was saying. His mouth opened as if he was ready to hit back. But then his mouth closed and the anger in his face melted into something more forlorn.

"Ada should be better now." I said, hopeful. "He's got the other half of his soul back now so the madness should be gone"

"Forgive me if I don't jump at the chance to trust him." Thorin was looking away again. Back out into the night. "I'll believe it when I see it"

oOo

When Thorin remained resolutely silent, I took that as my cue to leave. I rushed back inside. Back to the drawing room where all the dwarves were. As soon as I re-entered, Kili was at my side.

"He wasn't too harsh on you was he?" Kili asked, his voice was gentle.

"No, no I'm fine" I said, shaking my head.

Truthfully, I didn't really know how to feel in that moment. On the one hand, it was obvious that I wasn't being cast out but on the other it was obvious that Thorin wasn't pleased with me.

Kili looked expectantly at the door I had just come out of. Waiting for Thorin to emerge.

"I think he might be spending some time on his own"

"Oh right, in that case would you like some food"

"Yes please" I said eagerly.

Kili led me over to one of the sofas. I ended up squeezed in between him and Fili. The cushion sank below me as I sat down. I caught sight of a few dust motes escaping the fabric. It was also very plush and would be a little difficult to extricate myself when I wanted to stand. Despite that, it felt good to sit down on something so comfy.

Normal conversation seemed to resume once I was settled. Which I was infinitely grateful for. The dwarves went back to eating and laughing amongst themselves. The food seemed to have reduced further during the time I was outside. I frowned down at the table. How did they eat that much food so fast?

Fili then, unexpectedly, leaned down next to me. His forehead nearly touching the floor as he grabbed for something stored underneath the seat. Just as I was about to ask what he was doing he re-emerged. Plate in hand, overflowing with food.

"You're dinner, your Highness" he said with reverence, handing me the plate.

I narrowed my eyes at him for the jab but smiled at him nonetheless. "Thank you, Fili. I was about to say that it didn't look like you'd left me much" I said, looking down at the table.

"Well you wouldn't have much if these lot had a say in it" Kili indicated with his head to the other dwarves. "I had to fight some of them for it"

"My hero" I beamed at him.

Kili's eyes crinkled at the corners.

Without further preamble I turned to dig into my food. My plate was piled with all sorts. Small pastries, cured meats, various cheeses. As well as what seemed to be a thin layer of dust at the edge of the plate. It must have accumulated when it was stored under the chair. I blew air at the spot and a small cloud of dust floated into the air.

"Oh yeah, the place is a bit dusty" said Kili

"A bit" scoffed Dori. "Poor Bilbo can't stop sneezing"

"No I AH-CHOO" Bilbo further hammered in Dori's point. Thankfully, he seemed to have a new handkerchief to use.

"In all fairness I don't think the guest chambers have been used in a few hundred years"

"They could have at least give it a tidy" said Dori

"They probably did but it was a bit short notice so evidently they didn't get the chance to deep clean"

I heard a few scoffs "Well at least you have rooms" I added "Mine hasn't been opened in 1500 years so now probably has god knows what growing inside it"

I saw a few dwarves wrinkle their nose

"Where are you staying then?" asked Kili with concern.

"My brother's room I think" I said around a piece of goats cheese tart I was shovelling into my mouth.

My answer seemed to satisfy him.

The food was just as good as I remembered. Even the dwarves found few things to complain about. They were most grateful for the meat. It had been too long since they'd had any.

Thorin came back in eventually. He resumed his place by the fire and picked up his goblet.

It got to the point where some of the dwarves were yawning and their eyes were drooping. The excitement of food was wearing off in favour of sleep.

Bofur stood up and stretched, a large yawn escaping his mouth. His hat was precariously balanced on the arm of the sofa. The momentum of him standing up nearly knocked it off but it stayed where it was.

It was then that I realised that he wasn't wearing his own clothes. His shirt was distinctly elven. A pale blue with leaf patterns stitched around the collar. The shirt stopped just below his knees. It was nearly long enough to be a dress, though not quite. I also realised that it was also the only thing he was wearing. His legs, which had been hidden by the table before, were now very clearly out.

"I cannae believe yer wearing that elven crap they gave us" Gloin commented.

"I don't know what ye mean. I think I look quite dashing" Bofur raised his eyebrows flirtily. "And it's always nice to get a bit of a breeze ya know"

Wait, was he implying what I think he was?

Dwalin was the only one brave enough to voice our suspicions. "Bofur, are ye wearing...undergarments?"

"No o'course not mine are filthy. I'm free as a bird"

I covered my mouth in a bid to not laugh out loud. Many shouts of protest echoed around the room.

"We've got to sit there you animal"

"Have some decency"

"There are ladies present"

"Surely they offered you some underwear Bofur" I said, amusement evident in my voice

"Look, I'm not gonna wear someone else's undercrackers. I've got standards"

I couldn't help the laugh that burst out of me.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Nori edging closer to Bofur. There was a mischievous glint to his eye. I saw him overdramatically stretch and yawn. Ultimately knocking Bofur's hat onto the floor.

"Hey Bofur is that your hat down there?" asked Nori, seemingly helpful.

Bofur turned around "Ah, so it is"

Then, in what felt like slow motion, Bofur started to bend over. It was accompanied by screams of NOO. As well as at least two different hands being slapped over my eyes.

Nori's booming laugh was countered by Dori's scolding.

"How about we go outside Leah" said Kili, clearly exasperated.

"Good Idea"

I let Kili lead me outside. Not quite ready to open my eyes just incase. When I did open them I realised that he had led us out of the guest rooms completely. He tugged my hand gently until he came across a wide set of stairs. They were only about 6 steps high and they were flanked by patterned pillars. He must have decided that they were the perfect place to sit as he guided me down next to him. My hand was held in both of his. His finger traced patterns on the back of it.

"How is your family?"

"They're...perfect. Seeing us all together is just… I can't put it into words" Once more I felt a rush of so many emotions at once.

"I'm happy for you Leah. So happy" His words were genuine and sincere. "Where are they all now?"

"Well Legolas left to give me some privacy but I'm not actually sure where he went off to. And I think my mum and ada are probably getting 'reacquainted' if you catch my drift"

Kili's cheeks heated up slightly at the insinuation. "Ah, I see"

A giggle bubbled up at his reaction.

We lapsed into silence and Kili looked back down at our joined hands.

"Sooo" Kili drew out the sound "You're a Princess"

Here comes the discussion I'd been dreading.

"Yeah" I breathed

"Well that was...a surprise" he wasn't looking me in the eyes. Instead he was focused on my hand.

"I'm so sorry Kili, this isn't how I wanted you to find out. I should have told you before. I didn't realise that my Ada would want to see you straight away"

"Yeah that was a bit of a shock" Kili let out a breathy laugh "One minute I'm scared you're dying in a ditch somewhere and the next I find out that your father is King Thranduil."

I felt my chest tighten. I'd caused him such heartache and panic without meaning too. "I pulled on the bond to let you know that I was okay"

Kili began to look a little sheepish. "My imagination may have gotten the better of me"

"I think we need to come up with some kind of code so this confusion doesn't happen again." I suggested "How about we pull it once if we are okay and twice if we are in danger"

"That would probably work better" said Kili, the corners of his mouth turning upwards.

"Can you forgive me?" I implored, searching Kili's face for any sign that I wasn't forgiven.

His eyes were intense when he finally looked up at me. "Of course I forgive you Leah. It's just...Why didn't you tell me? I can understand not telling Uncle as his reaction may have been rather explosive but why couldn't you tell me?"

I looked down at where are hands were joined. "I wanted to. I nearly told you back at Beorn's house but I chickened out." I sighed "I was scared. I just kept thinking that you would think differently of me when you found out who I was"

"I remember you saying that. And here's me thinking that it was just because you found out you were a woodland elf" Kili let out a small chuckle.

Then he lifted his hand up to my chin. Turned my face so that I was looking at him. "Leah, I would never think badly of you. I need you to know that. Even if your Adad is terrifying"

The statement made me giggle. "We should probably arrange it so that you are never on your own with him. Always have a buddy with you. God knows what sort of things he'd try to say to you otherwise."

An image popped into my head of Ada having a "what are your intentions with my daughter?" conversation with Kili. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from smiling. Though Kili clearly still caught the action.

"That sounds like a good idea"

Kili's eyes softened as he looked at me. I could look into those soft brown eyes for days. His thumb traced my cheekbone. "I love you, Leah. Amrâlizi"

"What does amrâlizi mean?" I remembered him saying it earlier.

"It means I love you, in Khuzdul"

"You love me so much you said it twice" I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Kili's smile mirrored my own.

"Exactly"

"I love you too, Kili" I said softly. Then I leaned in and placed my lips over Kili's.

The kiss was gentle and chaste yet it still sent my pulse racing. I felt Kili's lips turn into a smile.

However, the sudden appearance of an unexpected cough had us reeling back from one another. I had been so caught up in the moment that I forgot that we were actually in a public space. Quickly, I turned to see who it was that had stumbled upon us. To my horror at the bottom of the stairs stood a very amused Legolas. One eyebrow raised accusingly at me.

"Am I interrupting something?"

I felt my cheeks flame. "No" I said, almost too quickly. Then I shook my head "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well I was rather concerned when I found you missing but one of the maids told me that you were with the dwarves" Legolas tilted his head to look at Kili "I did not realise that she meant you were _with _the dwarves. Hello there" he waved at Kili.

I felt Kili sputter next to me. Legolas was clearly enjoying this too much. "Oh, shush you" I said in Legolas's direction. He looked like he was about to say more but I got there first. "If you don't stop, then I'm going to make all the dwarves call you Lassie and you can't stop me"

Legolas's eyes narrowed "You wouldn't"

"Try me"

We looked at each other for a few beats longer before we both started laughing.

"Anyway, I assumed you would be ready to drop down in exhaustion by now" said Legolas.

He had a point. I was tired before I'd even gone to the dwarves.

"He has a point Leah, night has fallen and you've been using a lot of your energy recently. You need sleep" Kili concurred.

I nodded at him before standing up. Kili followed suit. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow"

"Yes, sleep well, amrâlizi"

oOo

Legolas began a slow meandering walk back to his room. We walked together, with my arm looped through his. Gone was the fast pace that we'd seemed to be at all day. There was no longer a need to run through the corridors.

Once we were back in the room I all but fell face first onto the bed. I bounced as I landed.

"Is that how you're sleeping?" Legolas chuckled.

"Of course," I mumbled into the covers.

"I had some food brought in but I assume you already ate"

I lifted my head up from the bed to look over at Legolas. On the table next to him was a large tray of food. So that's where he disappeared to, he was getting me food. I felt bad for vanishing on him.

"I did. But thank you though, that was very kind" I finally sat up and shuffled to the head of the bed. So that I was leaning against the headboard.

"It's okay" said Legolas with a shrug. Then he reached across the table and lifted up a rather hefty jug. "However, there is still wine. I think after the events of today we could all do with large amounts of if"

"No truer words have ever been spoken"

Legolas smirked and poured the first cup. "If Adar has taught me anything it's that a situation can always be improved with more wine"

I snorted as he handed me a cup "You make him sound like a wine mum from facebook"

"What in Arda do any of those words mean?"

I just smirked at him and refused to explain further. Taking a big sip of wine instead.

The wine was actually delicious. Normally I hated wine, thought it tasted like rotten vinegar. But this one was sweet and fruity; and rather strong. I quickly descended into giggly mode.

We ended up talking about all sorts. It was surprisingly easy to talk to Legolas. Even after so long apart. He was the kind of person that you could feel at ease with. When he wanted you to anyway, he also knew how to make people feel uneasy just as easily. Kili in particular had felt that so far.

Legolas wanted to know about Earth and I wanted to know about the things I'd missed.

"What is that _thing _on the wall anyway?" I said with a grin, taking another sip of wine.

"Obviously it's a sword" he said matter-of-factly.

"It's bigger than I am"

Legolas laughed into his cup. He was sat across from me at the other end of the bed "That's not hard"

"Oi" I kicked his leg halfheartedly. He simply laughed more. I just shook my head at him. "Surely it's not practical, you couldn't use that in a fight"

"I bet I could" said Legolas smugly.

I smiled amusedly.

At one point my eyes started to close of their own accord. It was taking progressively longer for me to open them back up again. When I opened them back up again I saw that Legolas had moved to sit next to me. He had a sad sort of smile on his face and I could see that his eyes were shiny.

"I've missed you, Liriel" His thumb was tracing the pattern on his goblet. "So much" his voice broke.

"Look at me," he said with a small laugh, wiping the moisture away from his eyes. "You're making me all emotional. I don't think I've cried this much in years. I'm losing my aloof exterior"

"Boohoo for you" I smiled to show that I wasn't genuinely mocking him. "I've missed you too" my voice was tight and my smile wobbled as I said it.

I lay my head on Legolas's shoulder. He leaned his head down on top of mine. Tiredness quickly overcame me. When my eyes closed this time, sleep finally won out.


	31. I've been holding onto hope

The next chapter will be the feast of starlight then we should be back on track plot wise and we can start moving forward. I haven't finished the next chapter yet but I'm hoping to have it finished by next week. I was originally going to wait till I had done all 3 before posting them but I thought that there wasn't much point in the 2 finished ones just sitting there.

Being back home was such a strange experience. The next few days were a blur. The company was recovering from their ordeal in the forest. Regaining their strength, as well as some of the weight they'd lost while they were near starving for a week. They were also given an area to train in.

I on the other hand seemed to be either re-meeting people from my past or meeting new people. They all tended to look at me like I was a miracle with legs so it was a little disconcerting.

I also met the Captain of the Guard...Which was an experience.

I was with the dwarves at the time. They were training outside. Having a go at using some of the Elven weaponry available. There was some obvious peacocking going on. With Fili, Dwalin and Gloin being the worst ones. They were blatantly showing off to try and prove something or other to the elves.

Kili was sat next to me on a bench. Taking a break from training.

There were a few elves dotted around the courtyard. Most were doing their own drills; mainly archery. They levelled a few odd looks at the dwarves. However, the dwarves were also doing the same so couldn't just blame one side for doing it. When they saw me looking, their eyes would widen and they would bow their heads at me. Then they would carry on with whatever it was they were doing before.

Dwalin began grumbling when he caught the eye of another elf looking their way. "Just because they're apparently helping us now doesnae mean tha' I have to like them. I will never trust anyone who cannae grow a beard"

"Elves can grow beards you know" I chuckled, bursting Dwalin's bubble.

A few of the dwarves turned around at that.

"What?"

"Horse Shit"

"I've never seen a single elf with a beard"

A few of the elves at the far end of the courtyard raised their eyebrows as they heard the conversation topic.

"It's true!" I said "But they can only grow them when they're _really_ old. Like 10,000 years old. The only elf I can think of who has one is Cirdan, the dude that looks after the ship to the undying lands"

"Are ye telling the truth lass?" asked Bifur, clearly intrigued.

"Why would I lie about something like that?" I said with a laugh. It would be such a pointless thing to lie about.

Dwalin's face was a picture. Like great cogs were turning in his mind. Then he gasped dramatically . "By Mahal, they're bairns"

Did he just say that elves were children?

"Dwalin, they're like thousands of years old"

"No, no, don't ya see. It all makes sense now. The reason they're all so bloody annoying is because they're all children"

I shook my head, deciding to leave him to it. Only someone like Dwalin would look at someone who had been alive for millenia and call them a child. There were a few rumblings from the elves side of the courtyard. Clearly displeased by Dwalin's statement.

The dwarves eventually got back to their drills. Even though they were still laughing about they're 'revelation'. Kili and I were just talking amongst ourselves when our bench was approached by a newcomer. She was an elf with long, elaborately braided, ginger hair. Her uniform indicated that she was a part of the guard. However, I was certain that I had not met her before.

"Princess Liriel" she said with a nod, her hands were held behind her back. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you"

"Thank you..er" I realised then that I didn't know her name.

"Oh Leah, this is Tauriel" said Kili helpfully.

If I had been drinking at the time I would have ended up doing a spit take. My eyes widened and I felt my mind whir to a stop.

"Tauriel?!" I squeaked. The elf that Kili had fallen in love with in the films!? So she was real then. Not just someone Peter Jackson had invented. Also the fact that Kili had clearly already met her made me feel funny. Something ugly was rearing its head. Even though I knew that the film romance between them meant nothing I still felt off. Something akin to possessiveness began to curl in my stomach and I felt myself shuffle closer to Kili.

Oh god what is wrong with me? I've never even met her and I'm already being judgemental. I always hated those girls that wouldn't even let another girl look at their boyfriends. I needed to chill.

Tauriel raised her eyebrow almost imperceptibly. The only reaction she made about my outburst "Yes your Highness. I am Captain of the Guard"

"That's...cool"

"Cool?" her eyebrows drew together.

"It's a good thing" Kili explained for me. Blissfully unaware of the chaotic thoughts drifting through my head.

"Oh right" Tauriel smiled. "Well, Your Highness I'm glad you were found because I think your dwarf friend was close to having a heart attack"

Kili looked down, sheepish "I wasn't that bad" he mumbled.

"I'm glad too" I managed to smile back at her.

"If there is ever anything you need my Lady do not hesitate to ask" She said earnestly. It made me feel bad for the way I reacted to her initially.

"You could call me Liriel, or Leah instead of your highness"

"Liriel, it is then" Tauriel said with a smile. "I will take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your day Liriel"

Then she turned and left. Just as quickly as she had arrived.

As soon as she was out of sight I rounded onto Kili. "How did you know her?" My tone of voice just a little too high

Kili's eyebrows drew together. "She was actually the one that threw us into a cell in the dungeons. But when I was panicking about needing to find you she told me that she would try. Turns out she didn't need to but I was very grateful for the sentiment anyway"

Damn it, she sounds really nice.

"Why do you seem so worked up, Leah? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, totally fine"

Kili didn't look convinced.

I needed to get a grip.

oOo

About a week had gone by since we'd arrived. Ada and I were walking through the garden. Despite how long I'd already been here this was the first time Ada and I had actually been alone together. There always seemed to be someone else with us. Not that I particularly minded. I loved seeing people again. But it felt good to finally spend some one on one time with each other.

Mum was spending time with Legolas. She was putting her organiser skills to good use helping to plan out the feast of starlight. It was going to be a big one this year as it was also considered a welcome back feast. Legolas was tagging along to help her out.

Ada and I were walking arm in arm through the gardens. This area of the gardens held wildflowers and fruit trees. The trees stretched high above us, creating a canopy of shade. The wildflowers along the edge of the path created an explosion of colour.

There were only a few other elves walking around. When we would pass they would bow their heads or curtsey. "Your majesty, your highness"

Ada would simply nod at them in acknowledgement and the elves would continue on. I on the other hand still felt rather awkward by the whole affair. Ada found it rather amusing actually. "You know you are going to have to get used to it. They will not stop even if you ask them too"

I half mumbled a reply that could either have been "fine" or "I guess" but you could not really tell.

Eventually we reached a part of the gardens that wasn't inhabited by anyone else and we slowed our pace down.

"Trying to negotiate with the dwarves is surely...something" Ada drawled.

So far I hadn't manage to sit in on any of the discussions. Though mum told me that she wished she had some popcorn at times because of the back and forth between Ada and Thorin. "I assume that there was a lot of stubborness involved"

"Yes, the dwarves notorious stubbornness did rear its head" Ada agreed readily.

"I didn't mean just from Thorin Ada" I smirked up at him.

"I do not know what you are implying Liriel. I am the epitome of reasonable" said Ada, with his chin raised.

"Sure you are" I said, not believing a word.

"Nevermind all that" said Ada, quickly changing the subject. "Your Naneth tells me that you wish to sing at the feast"

"Yeah, I sang in all sorts of places recently. I thought it would be good to actually sing in my home" I said.

"I admit that I am looking forward to it. It has been too long since I have heard you sing" There was a tightness to his voice. When I looked up at him I could see him staring out in front of him.

I squeezed his arm to try and shake him out of it. When he looked down at me I smiled up at him. He answered in kind.

"Soo, are the dwarves allowed to come to the feast?" I asked

I felt Ada slow us down to a stop. He looked down at me with pleading eyes. "Must they? I'd rather my feast not be ruined by the brooding of dwarves"

"Ada!" I scolded, giving him a disapproving gaze.

Ada held my gaze with his own. However, he was the first to concede by looking away. "Fine, fine. If it will make you happy" Ada sighed dramatically "Your little dwarf friends can come"

"Thank you," I said with a smile. That had been a lot easier than I thought it would be. I didn't even need to say anything to convince him.

Ada shook his head. "How did this happen?" he whispered, almost to himself. His sudden change of tone was jarring. "How did you end up bound to a dwarf of all people?"

Ah, there it was. The problem Ada had actually wanted to talk about. He didn't approve of the person I was in love with. It felt very cliche. My hand found its way to my courting braid. A movement which was not missed. "I don't know it just sort of happened"

"Things like this do not 'just sort of happen' Liriel. There must be some reason why you agreed to court this dwarf. Being bound to him does not equal marriage. You could always choose someone else. So why him?" Ada wasn't angry but he did seem desperate for an answer. "I just want to understand. I need to know how worthy this person is of you"

I didn't even know where to begin. "He's kind" I started "And thoughtful, he always seems to put other people before himself" I couldn't find the words to articulate my feelings for Kili. The words themselves seemed a bit flat and couldn't fully describe everything I felt.

Ada carried on looking at me without saying a word. Silently urging me to go on.

More simple, one-dimensional words were not going to help me explain my emotions to Ada. I needed something else. Something that would tell Ada exactly what kind of person Kili was.

"He died protecting me Ada" my voice broke "He didn't even think he just did it."

Ada's eyes softened. He reached for me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"And when he died, it.. it hurt so much" hot tears were welling up in my eyes as I remembered. The sound of his last breath, the way the light left his eyes. They were permanently sealed onto my memory.

Ada seemed to freeze. I felt his breath catch.

"The thought of not being able to see him again.." I squeezed my eyes shut and willed the memory of helplessness away "I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. It felt like someone had taken a knife to my heart. I didn't even know that I could bring him back. I was just so desperate for him to come back to me, I would have tried anything"

A tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.

Ada squeezed his own eyes shut. When he opened them I could see a shine to them. The hand that was on my shoulder moved to cup my face. His thumb wiped away one of the tears. "I know of what you speak, Liriel." His voice was low "All too intimately"

He looked away for a moment, breathing in shakily. A lone tear rolled down his face "The fact that you would feel such pain, even if only temporarily, saddens me deeply"

Ada truly did know how it felt. Also his pain was probably a lot greater that what I had felt. And he'd had to bare it for over 1500 years.

How did we both end up crying in a field?

I gave him a watery smile before wrapping my arms around him, hugging him tightly. His arms wrapped around me too. One found its way into my hair and I felt him place a kiss onto the top of my head.

I leaned back to look up at him. The hand that was in my hair moved to my courting braid. He lifted it up and examined the bead. "If you truly feel so much towards him I can understand a little better about why you have chosen to court him"

He turned the bead over, watching it throw rainbows into the air as it caught the light. A crinkle formed between his eyebrows "What is this made from? It is unlike any substance I have ever seen"

"I'm not sure actually. Kili told me that his Adad had given them to him... And his Adad is dead. So I guess it must have come from where dwarves go when they die"

"Aulë's Halls?" Ada gasped, he looked at the bead with something akin to admiration. "Genuinely?"

I nodded.

"A truly precious gift." said Ada, dropping the braid back down with care. Ada nodded, as if in approval. "Anything else would be unworthy of you"

"Thank you, Ada" I smiled.

Ada smiled too and seemed to shake himself out of his reverie "I know your feelings are true Liriel. But forgive me if I still wish to inspect Kili's character for myself. I need to know how genuine his feelings are too"

"I guess I can deal with that"

oOo

Our walk together only lasted a short time after that. Ada told me that he had some important meeting to attend to but did not elaborate any further. He guided us back into the mountain and towards one of the main halls. This hall in particular was going to be the one where the feast of starlight was to be held. It was also where Mum and Legolas currently were.

Mum smiled and beckoned us over when she saw us. "Hello, darling did you enjoy your walk?" mum hugged me as she spoke.

"Yeah, it was good," I said. And I meant it. Even with the mini breakdown in the middle of it I still loved spending time with Ada

Then she turned to Ada, kissing him on both cheeks. Ada still looked at her as if she was a miracle. Everytime he looked at her, it was always like he was seeing her for the first time again. "It was enlightening" said Ada

Mum raised an eyebrow "Should I ask?"

"Best not" I shook my head.

"I will inform you later" Ada promised.

Mum seemed to accept our answers and nodded.

Ada straightened up "There is something I must attend to" I saw mum's eyes narrow ever so slightly. I would have missed it if I wasn't already looking at her. "You can help your Naneth with the organising while I'm gone." he said to me.

"Yeah, of course"

His eyes swept across all three of us. Lingering longest on Mum. A smile was gracing his face. "I won't be long melamin" he said to Mum. He kissed her cheek goodbye before turning and leaving.

Mum looked after him wistfully for a few seconds before she came back to her senses. Then she turned to me with eyebrows drawn. "Did your Adar say where it was he was going?" Mum asked a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"Not really, he just said something about an important meeting"

"Right" mum said, looking in the direction that Ada had left.

"Why?"

Mum shook her head and looked back to me. A pleasant smile was back on her face "No reason"

Either Mum was confused about where Ada was going or she had her suspicions. It made me a little wary about Ada might be up to. I doubted it would be anything bad but at the same time it was weird that Mum didn't know.

Mum however decided not to question it further and jumped straight back into her planning.

Long garlands and banners had already been brought out. As well as flowers, lights and table decorations. Some were already neatly arranged while Mum was organising the other decorations. She commanded the room with ease. Telling everyone exactly what she wanted them to do. Looking every bit the queen she was.

"She is scarily efficient" Said Legolas from next to me. His arms were full of large ribbons that were to be wrapped around the chairs. "I don't think I realised how good she was at this when we were younger."

"Yeah she is pretty impressive" I mused

"If it was down to me I would not even know where to begin. I would probably throw in some flowers and call it a day" said Legolas.

"You wouldn't even put on tablecloths?" I asked

"Most of the time I forget that they are a thing"

I looked up at him and we both burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Mum asked jovially as she wandered over to us.

"We're marvelling at our sheer lack of organisational skills" I added.

"Ah, I see" mum smiled.

One moment I was just laughing with my family and the next moment I was gasping. My hand grabbed onto my chest. I also held onto Legolas's arm to steady myself.

I wasn't in any pain whatsoever. No it was the fact that the steady pace of Kili's heartbeat suddenly reached a fever pitch. Even though It wasn't my own it still felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest. It was quickly followed by the sensation of someone reaching out and tugging on my soul.

Kili had pulled on the bond.

What the hell was going on?

"Liriel are you alright?" Concern was rife in Legolas's voice.

Another tug on the bond. In quick succession after the other. Two all together.

It was part of the code we had established a few days ago. Once to say you are safe. Twice to say you are in danger.

But why would he be in danger? Surely there was nothing here that could cause such a reaction from him?

Wait..

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed as I realised exactly what was happening. "I know where Ada is"

Mum seemed to understand what I meant immediately. Her mouth formed an oh shape. Legolas on the other hand was still confused. "What? I don't understand"

"It seems your Adar has decided to pay Kili a visit." mum explained "Important meeting indeed"

Legolas's eyes were immediately lit with amusement. "I cannot believe I'm missing it"

How on earth had this happened? I thought we had made a plan. That Kili should avoid being alone with Ada. Obviously the plan had fallen through somewhere. And now Kili was shouting to me that he was in danger.

"Oh God" I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. When I let go I looked up at Mum and Legolas "Right, I need to find him"

"Can I come?" Legolas asked, all too eagerly.

I know for a fact that he would only make things worse. "No you cannot"

He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout but I wasn't going to let his sad face change my mind.

"Legolas, you can stay here. We don't need to stress out poor Kili anymore than he already is" mum interjected.

Legolas knew he had lost this fight and conceded "Okay Nana"

I took that as my opportunity to leave.

I focused my eyes so that I could see the bond stretched between us. It ran as a direct tie between the two of us. So I knew which direction he was in. However, getting there wasn't as simple. There wasn't a convenient corridor that led me straight to him. Instead I had to take sharp turns and got annoyed when I took the wrong ones.

There were a further two insistent pulls down the bond while I was trying to find my way. "I'm coming, I'm coming" I muttered to myself. I gave the cord a tug of my own to signify that I was on my way.

Eventually, I turned the right corner and found them. They were standing next to each other. Just them two in a corridor. How this situation had happened in the first place was beyond me.

Ada's face seemed to be quite neutral and didn't hold any of the animosity I had been expecting. The way Kili had pulled on the bond had me envisioning Ada threatening Kili with a knife or something. Instead they seemed to be just talking.

Even though Ada didn't seem to be angry at the moment Kili was still white as a sheet.

"Kili, Ada." I said loudly, to get their attention. "What are you doing here?"

Ada turned to me, briefly looking like a deer in headlights before his expression smoothed out. He obviously hadn't expected me to catch him in the act. "We were just taking a walk," he said, nonchalantly.

"Yes" Kili's voice was a whole octave higher than it should be. "Just a walk, we were just...walking"

I levelled Ada with an unimpressed look.

"I think we have a better understanding of one another now. Wouldn't you agree Kili?

"Yes" said Kili, standing a little straighter.

"I think Mum wants you Ada"

"She does?" He raised an eyebrow "Then I shan't keep her waiting"

Ada strolled back down the corridor. His pace sedate and his arms behind his back. As soon as he was gone I turned back to Kili. He let out a breath in one big rush "Oh thank Mahal you're here" He wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Kili, what the hell happened?"

oOo

**Kili (Earlier that day)**

Fili and Kili were in the main living space of the guest rooms. The rest of the company were elsewhere. Most were back out on the training grounds. They'd even managed to rope in some of the elves to spar with. Each side being curious about how the other one fights. The ones who were out there were either fighting or urging the others on.

Balin and Ori had found a library at one point and had not been heard from since. Bombur was taking a nap. Which you could tell by the intermittent snoring that could rattle a wall.

Fili and Kili were sat in one corner of the sofa square. They each had their own seat and they leaned across the gap to talk to one another. They were both relaxed and talking amongst themselves.

"This situation has got to be one of the funniest things that has ever happened" Fili laughed into his cup.

He didn't have to seem so pleased about it, Kili thought. "Do I not even get an ounce of sympathy?"

"No" Fili snickered, "I'm not the one who stole an elf King's daughter"

"I didn't steal anything" Kili urged, shoving his brother. 'Steal' made it sound like she hadn't had a choice in the matter.

Some liquid spilled out of Fili's cup but he managed to save most of it. "I know, I know" said Fili, shaking some of the mead from his sleeve "I just enjoy winding you up"

"You do?" Kili gasped with mock amazement. He knew his brother wasn't actually saying this stuff to be mean.

They both laughed. "So what was it Thranduil said to you?"

"He said that he looked forward to getting to know me better. Though I have no interest in that ever happening"

"Mahal" Fili breathed, he leaned back in his seat and took another gulp of mead. "This is either the bravest or the stupidest thing you have ever done"

"Probably a bit of both"

Kili pondered for a moment. Staring at the pattern on the chair. "Leah's friend called me a 'himbo' once. Which I think kind of fits?"

"A What?" Fili chuckled.

"A himbo"

"Care to explain?"

Kili paused for a second, trying to think how Anika had described the word. "It's a male who is kind hearted and pretty.."

He was immediately cut off by a loud snort.

"Hey" Kili shoved Fili again "Who here is actually courting someone? I'm sure I've been called pretty more times than you have"

Fili covered his heart with his hand "You wound me brother"

"Anyway" Kili continued "It's someone who's kind hearted, _pretty _and just a bit dumb" Actually Anika had said 'Dumb as rocks' but he thought that was a little too harsh.

Fili guffawed. "Now _that_ sounds like you" Kili laughed too, shaking his head.

Fili was about to take another sip of mead when his eyes locked with something over Kili's shoulder. He choked on the liquid and spat it out. His eyes couldn't physically be wider.

Kili froze in alarm. He was about to turn around and see what had caused his brother to react in such a way. Before he could, he felt a presence loom above him. Casting a shadow that blocked the light. Something grabbed his shoulder and he nearly cried out.

Long, pale fingers gripped his shoulder in a vice. Digging in, to the point of pain. And on the other end of the hand..

"Are you saying that you pride yourself on stupidity Kili?" The elf king enunciated each word. His eyes like a raging fire.

Kili blanched. His heart rate rose inexorably quickly. One second it was normal, the next it was thundering in his ears drowning out everything else.

The only thoughts on his mind were Danger! Danger!

" sir was just a joke" Kili stuttered.

"A joke? Ha, how funny" Thranduil's voice was completely deadpan "Why don't we go for a walk?"

He categorically did not want to be alone with this elf. His first instinct was to tug helplessly on the bond between him and leah. Twice. To let her know that he was potentially in danger. She had told him that he shouldn't be alone with her Adad. Yet now he felt like he didn't have much of a choice.

Fili looked between the two of them, his mouth open like a fish. Kili stared at his brother, silently begging him to help. However, he also knew that Fili couldn't do much to help either.

" course" Kili said eventually.

Kili stood up and moved to follow Thranduil outside. Thranduil's smile could only be described as predatory.

Thranduil led them on. Kili felt like he was walking a funeral march. His own funeral. He hoped that Leah would find him quickly.

They walked a short distance before coming to an abandoned corridor. When the King whirled around Kili nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Let's get right to it" said Thranduil. "I know my daughter's feelings towards you. She cares about you deeply. Which means that I need to know just how worthy you are of her. I need to know that you have my daughters best interests in mind. Do you understand?"

Kili gulped and nodded.

"Let me make one thing clear" Thranduil stepped towards Kili, leaning down over him "You are bound to my daughter which means that I cannot kill you. But should you ever _hurt_ her. Should you ever cause her pain, there are still a myriad of ways that I can make you suffer. Do you understand me? You are immortal now Kili, I can get creative"

Danger! Danger! Kili tugged on the bond frantically. He felt like his stomach was in his throat.

Thranduil stood back up. Seemingly pleased that he had made his point.

He nearly gasped out loud when his cry for help was answered. Leah pulled on the bond between them. Thank Mahal, she was coming. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer before she showed up. He felt some of the tension leave his body.

Now that he knew Leah was coming and Thranduil had backed off slightly he found his fear to be lessening. As it did, something more akin to anger was taking its place. He knew that Thranduil had every right to question Kili's intentions with Leah. He was her Adad and he didn't know what kind of person Kili was. Yet at the same time, the insinuation that he would ever harm Leah made him feel physically sick.

Kili mustered all the bravery that he could. He squared his shoulders and stood up straighter. Before he had tried not to look Thranduil in the eye but now he did. Thranduil's eyes narrowed in curiosity at Kili's change in demeanor.

"Lord Thranduil" Kili's voice was more even than he expected it to be. He carried on quickly before his bravery disappeared.

"With all due respect, I would never hurt her." he said with utmost sincerity "She is the most amazing person I have ever met. Even though she has been through so much she still has the brightest smile. The thought of seeing her hurt makes me sick"

The malice in Thranduil's eyes seemed to diminish as Kili spoke. At least that's what Kili hoped he was seeing. Not just some trick of the light.

"I sacrificed myself to save her. I didn't know that I could be brought back. The only thing on my mind was that I couldn't see her hurt. No matter what happened to me"

Kili felt shaky as the anger he had built up began to leach away. "I would rather die than hurt her, Lord Thranduil"

Thranduil raised one perfectly arched eyebrow.

"I.I mean not literally obviously because that would actually hurt her" he stuttered.

"Good" Thranduil nodded, seemingly to be pleased with what Kili had said. He was now looking at Kili with polite curiosity rather than animosity.

Then his rescuer rounded the corner and Thranduil bid them goodbye.

oOo

**Leah**

"So he threatened you?" Which I wasn't best pleased at, "But only if you hurt me"

"Yes" said Kili "Though now I think about it, I think he was trying to test me. To see how I'd react"

While that did sound likely, I was also 100% sure that Ada could still carry through with his threats. I didn't say this out loud as I didn't want Kili to panic more

"He didn't seem as angry towards the end. I hope that means I said something right"

"Good. That's Good" Even though I was annoyed that Ada had tried to scare Kili, I was glad that it had turned out okay.

Though I think Kili might be in need of a shock blanket and a nap.

Leah is going to have to have some words with Thranduil about not giving her boyfriend a heart attack. I was originally gonna tone it down a bit but then I thought, this is Thranduil we're talking about here of course he was going to threaten the person who dared think themselves worthy enough to court his daughter. But thankfully, Kili's answers seemed to satisfy him


	32. Dancing under red skies

Once again, this chapter is like 100% fluff. But I couldn't help myself. All the characters needed a moment to have a break and I needed to write some cute scenes lol. The next chapter will finally get back to the actual plot Also i just realised that this will be my 3rd chapter in 3 days. Considering I went like two months with nothing this is like going from 0 to 100

All the preparations for the feast had been completed in plenty of time. So when the day finally arrived the only thing left to do was to get ourselves ready. I was currently in my rooms. They had been fixed up after a few days so I didn't have to keep stealing Legolas's bed. The room wasn't the same as it had been. Since all the wood had rotted none of the tables, chairs and drawers were the same. They were all shiny and new.

The fact that the room was different helped me a little. It meant that I could focus more on the here and now rather than reminiscing and thinking about all that I had missed.

Mum was with me, along with a couple of maids, to help us get ready. It felt like a lot of fuss for one party. Yet at the same time, I was having fun. It felt a little like a girls pamper day.

Emiel was the one styling my hair. Her hands were gentle as they braided intricate braids into my hair. I had already told her that the courting braid couldn't come out and she had obliged. She gave me a matching braid on the opposite side so that it was symmetrical. I looked up at her through the mirror. She had a smile stretched across her face.

"I assume this is a little easier than the last time you had to do my hair" I said to the reflection.

Emiel looked up and grinned at me through the mirror. "Oh exceptionally so your Highness. You no longer fight each brush stroke or refuse to sit still"

I giggled. I didn't particularly care about having my hair done when I was younger. Preferring to go back to playing. She must have had quite a handful trying to get me to look like a 'proper princess' when I was younger.

"Have you got your dress sorted for the feast?" I asked.

"She certainly has" came a voice from behind us. Lanneth, the other maid. Who was currently helping Mum into her dress. "Elion had one commissioned for her"

Emiel's face heated up as soon as the name was mentioned.

"Who's Elion?" I asked intrigued.

"No one your Highness," she said, shaking her head. "Just a friend"

"Must be a very good friend to have a dress made for you" I heard Mum say.

" he is your Majesty"

"Oh, those two have been dancing around each other for the past 100 years, your majesty" said Lanneth, seemingly loving the gossip. "And I think you are all done" she said, arranging the bottom of the dress.

It was a deep green colour. With a damask pattern sewn along the length of it. There were many skirts underneath it that helped it hold its shape.

"You look beautiful Mum" I said. And I meant it. She looked radiant.

"Thank you Leah," she said, smiling down at her dress. "It's been so long since I've had the chance to wear something like this. It feels good"

"Have you seen your dress, Princess?" asked Lanneth.

My dress had arrived earlier that day. However, it had been placed in the wardrobe and I was told that I wasn't allowed to see it yet.

"Not yet, Mum told me it would be a surprise"

Emiel finished placing the last braid, looking impressed with her work. "I'm all finished here. So you can go and take a look"

I appraised my hair in the mirror before I stood up. It was expertly done, with no hair out of place.

When I turned around, the dress had been taken out of the wardrobe. It now hung on the door so that I had full view of it. My mouth dropped open when I saw how pretty it was.

It was the same deep blue as Mum's was. Except this one had a pattern of stars sewn into the fabric. It reminded me of the night sky. The dress tied at the waist with an ornate belt before flaring out. The outer skirt was split in the middle to reveal a silver skirt underneath.

"It's beautiful" I whispered.

"I knew you'd like it" said Mum. She definitely had an eye for this kind of thing.

Mum and the maids helped me to put it on. Which was rather strange I will admit. I was a fully grown adult yet I needed someone else to help me dress. Though in all fairness it was a lot more complicated to get on than all the other dresses I'd had. It didn't fare well for when I would have to take it all off again. I'd probably end up falling asleep in it, stuck with one arm in one arm out.

When I was finally in it, they turned me to face the mirror. It was amazing and fit me perfectly. I lifted up the skirts and gave a little twirl. I actually felt like a princess in this dress. Which I guess was sort of the point.

"Oh your Highness it's perfect" Emiel clapped her hands.

"It just needs one more thing" said Mum, who made her way over to the table.

On it was an elegant box, with gilded edges. She opened the lid and reached inside. When she removed her hands they were filled with a silver circlet. A crown. It glinted in the light.

With the utmost care, she placed the crown onto my head. The braids were tied low enough so that they didn't get in the way.

"Perfect" said Mum, her eyes looking a little misty.

oOo

The feast wouldn't start until all of the royal family had arrived. Which meant that we had to make an _entrance. _Legolas and I went in first. We were arm in arm as we made our way through the large double doors. I smiled in wonder as I saw how pretty the decorations looked. Everything seemed to shine and glint in the light. Reminiscent of stars. People bowed or curtseyed as we passed them.

When I turned my head I saw that the dwarves were clustered together. Looking a little awkward at the fanfare. They had their own table to sit at, at least. A few of them were wearing new clothes while some were still as stubborn as ever. *cough* Dwalin *cough cough*.

I gave them a little wave. A few waved back at me.

My eyes searched through the group until I landed on the person I was searching for. Kili's mouth fell open. His eyes looked at me with astonishment. I smiled back at him, my cheeks feeling a little warm.

Legolas led us over to the royal table. He pulled my chair out for me in a very gentlemanly fashion.

Ada and Mum came in next. "Well one of them is gonna have to change" I whispered to myself, with a grin. Ada's robes were a similar style and colour to Mum's. Except his had trousers underneath. They looked rather good in their matching couple outfits.

Mum now had a crown balanced on her head too. It was similar to Ada's crown of Autumn flowers. Only I would describe it as softer. It wasn't as spiky.

They glided into the room with enough grace to make anyone jealous. Once Ada and Mum reached the table, Ada swept his gaze around the room. Then he lifted his goblet and said "Let the feast begin"

Food was served first before the party could really get underway. The food was delicious and I managed not to get anything down my new dress. It did take more effort than I cared to admit. I could swear that I was a gremlin in disguise at times.

Once everyone had finished all the plates were cleared. Though there was still a table of food for people to pick from throughout the night.

I found myself on a small stage, looking out into the crowd of people. My hands were worrying the edges of my dress. Nerves were catching up with me. Even though I'd sang in front of crowds before, this one felt different. I was determined not to slip up: I wanted it to be perfect.

The band to play the first few bars of the melody. On the harp, violin and the piano. They had picked up the song remarkably quickly.

_I'm a phoenix in the water_

_A fish that's learned to fly_

_And I've always been a daughter_

_But feathers are meant for the sky_

_So I'm wishing, wishing further_

_For the excitement to arrive_

_It's just I'd rather be causing the chaos_

_Than laying at the sharp end of this knife_

_With every small disaster_

_I'll let the waters still_

_Take me away to some place real_

_'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone_

_Is where you go when you're alone_

_Is where you go to rest your bones_

_It's not just where you lay your head_

_It's not just where you make your bed_

_As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?_

_Home, home, home, home_

The song felt hopeful. About moving forward and finding a home. It felt like the perfect song to sing.

Everyone else seemed to agree too as I was met with rapturous applause once I'd finished.

The party went into full swing after that. With jaunty music to dance to and lots and lots of wine.

Legolas was the first person to ask me to dance and I happily obliged. Unluckily for him he got to receive the full brunt of my dancing skills. As I had no clue how to do the 'normal' dances i decided to teach him some of my own. Which included a lot of spinning. We were both laughing at the ridiculousness of it.

"Right now you go under my arm" I said, hold our joined arms in the air.

He raised his eyebrow at me. "Surely, you're the one that's supposed to go underneath"

"No, no it's definitely you" I grinned "It's..pasodoble" I said, pulling out whichever dance term came to mind first. I had in fact zero knowledge of what a pasodoble was. All I knew was that I'd heard it mentioned when I briefly watched an episode of Strictly Come Dancing.

"That's a made up word" Legolas laughed.

"No it's not, now go under my arm"

Legolas shook his head but gave in. Spinning underneath my arm. It was rather awkward as he was so much taller than me.

"Happy?"

"Very"

When we were sufficiently worn out we decided to have a break. I wandered over to the buffet table where a hobbit was nervously shoveling cheese into his mouth. My hand reached out for the jug of wine and I poured myself a cup. While looking at Bilbo out of the side of my eye. He was looking off into the corner of the dance floor. The part the dwarves had claimed for their own.

It had taken them a little bit to warm up but the dwarves couldn't deny their love of parties for very long. As long as there was plenty of alcohol and a good song they could make a good go of it. They were all dancing amongst themselves. As there was a discrepancy between males and females with dwarves they tended to disregard gender when they danced together. Why would you waste the opportunity to dance just because there wasn't enough female dance partners?

Bofur and Fili however had managed to find some females to dance with. They sauntered over to a couple of elleths with all the confidence in the world. Fili really laid it on thick with a bow and a kiss to their hand. The elleth looked at Fili curiously then shrugged her shoulders in a 'what the hell, I'll go for it' kind of way. Then she let him lead her onto the dance floor.

Her friend seemed less impressed but took Bofur's hand anyway.

Bilbo, however, was looking at one dwarf in particular. He stood away from all the revelry. Watching the festivities in a detached sort of way. Thorin stood nursing a drink, occasionally smiling and nodding at the members of the company.

"You look very nice Bilbo" I said, to let him know I was there.

He was wearing a tunic of royal blue (Durin blue you could say). It had gold accents around the collar and sleeves. "Oh, thank you." said Bilbo who looked down and pulled at his shirt. "Your mother picked this out for me actually. I found it in my room with a note. She said that the colours were perfect for me. It fits quite nicely too"

I gave a quick glance over to Mum who was dancing with Ada. I had a sneaking suspicion that she knew who favoured those colours. And it wasn't Bilbo.

Bilbo was back to shovelling food into his mouth.

"Are you okay Bilbo? you seem a bit nervous"

"What? yes I'm fine, perfectly fine" Bilbo babbled "It's just" Bilbo twitched his nose "Do you think Thorin seems a bit lonely over there?"

I looked back over to see Thorin in the same place he had been before. "He does a little" I said "Though I don't think it's for lack of trying on the dwarves part"

"Maybe they just weren't persuasive enough" Bilbo straightened himself up "He deserves to have a bit of fun every once in a while"

Then he turned to me, eyeing the cup in my hands. He reached out for it and I handed it over to him with no resistance. "What's in this?" he said staring into the cup. The liquid was a light yellow colour and smelled quite sweet.

"Some kind of honey wine I think"

"That'll do" he said before swiftly downing the contents. He slammed the cup down onto the table and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Then with no further preamble, he pushed himself away from the table and strode purposefully towards Thorin.

All his liquid courage seemed to fade away as soon as Thorin clocked eyes on him. Thorin smiled at Bilbo. Which consequently made the hobbit go bright red. He then appeared to be asking Thorin to dance. Though because of all the music I couldn't hear what was being said. At first Thorin appeared to shake his head. However, Bilbo was persistent. After only a little more persuasion I saw Thorin sigh and place his goblet down. Then he held his hand out for Bilbo to take.

"I can't believe that Bilbo actually managed to get my Uncle to dance" came a voice from my left.

"Kili" I said with a smile. I hadn't managed to actually speak with him yet.

My breath caught in my throat when I fully took him in. His hair was freshly washed and combed. It looked incredibly soft. The courting braid was fully on display. He also had some new clothes. A long tunic that cinched in at the waist with a silver belt. It was the same deep blue as my dress. Also on closer inspection I could see that it was even detailed with the same star pattern. The shirt was slightly open at the neck to reveal a silver shirt underneath.

All I could say was that he was one hot dwarf.

"Kili, you look incredible" I said, astonished

"Me?" he scoffed "Have you seen yourself Leah? You took my breath away when you walked in"

I felt my heart flutter.

"I assume it was my Mum that gave you the clothes"

"Yes, Ellen handed them to me a few days ago. She told me that you would like them" he said with a knowing smile.

Mum was correct as always.

Then Kili's eyes drew together "Wait am I still allowed to call her Ellen? I assume I've got to call her Queen now"

"No you can still call her Ellen when it's just us. But probably best not to call Mum by her first name when my Ada is around"

Ada didn't need further ammunition against Kili. I was still annoyed at him for scaring Kili. Mum apparently scolded him for it but I doubt it was very convincing. Neither of them could stay angry at the other for long. It was like they were having a honeymoon period again, where they could find no fault with the other.

"That sounds sensible" he nodded.

Then he smiled at me and turned his body to face me fully. Before bowing and extending his hand out towards me. "Would you do me the honour of dancing with me, Princess Leah?" His voice had a regal tone to it.

"Why of course, Prince Kili" I said, my tone equally grand, while I lay my hand into his.

Kili straightened back up, placing a ghost of a kiss onto the back of my hand. I felt my heart skip a beat.

Then he pulled me onto the dance floor. Right into the centre of the room. He held my right hand in his left and grabbed my waist with his other. He couldn't get too close to me though because my skirts wouldn't allow it. One of us would end up tripping over.

The music was slower than it had been before, which meant that we didn't have to set a quick pace. It suited me perfectly. "My dancing skills still haven't improved much since the last time we danced" I grinned.

"Well if you let me lead then we should be fine," he smiled back.

The people around us seemed to melt away. Kili was my only focus. I couldn't stop smiling at him. His grin didn't seem to leave his face either.

"I like the crown" Kili remarked "It makes you look very regal"

"I like it too" then I moved my eyebrows up and down. Shaking my head a little "Though it does feel a bit odd on my head"

"You'll probably get used to it"

We danced a few more steps. "Do you have a crown Kili? You are also a prince after all"

Kili pondered for a moment "Not really, we aren't a particularly rich kingdom. After Smaug attacked, our people had to work harder for everything. Crowns and such weren't high on the priority list."

The statement made a lot of sense and accurately described the dwarves suffering since smaug had attacked. It made me sad that they had struggled so much.

"Fili and I made our own once though"

"You did?" my heart warmed at the thought of them with their homemade crowns.

"Yes, we wound branches together and added bits of shiny metal we found around the home" He laughed "They were quite good actually, considering we were only 30 and 35"

"I think you would look good in a crown" I mused.

"Well, when this is all over you will have to help me pick one"

When it's all over.

It seemed so close yet so far away. All sorts could happen between now and then. In this moment, dancing with Kili, it was easy to forget that there were battles looming. People that needed saving. If I dwelled on those thoughts for too long I knew that I would start panicking.

Later. I shook my head. I would dwell on those thoughts later. For now, I was going to concentrate on what I had in front of me. A happy, healthy family and a partner that I loved with all my heart.

"I love you, Kili"

"I love you too, Leah" His voice contained such warmth.

His eyes were intense and he leaned forward. Looking very much like he wanted to kiss me. I leaned in too. It was like there was a magnetic attraction between the two of us.

Which was instantly shattered when Kili suddenly backed up half a step. With exceptionally wide eyes and a squeaking noise that he probably wouldn't admit that he had ever made. He was looking at something over my shoulder. Or rather someone.

"Mind if I cut in" Ada's deep voice sounded from behind me.

"No, no of course not" said Kili, with exceptional speed. Then he turned to me and with a bow of his head said "Thank you for the dance Leah" Then he turned tail and left with incredible speed.

I spun around to look up at Ada, raising my eyebrows questioningly. "You don't have to be so mean you know"

"I do not know what you are implying, I'm simply asking my daughter to dance" he shrugged with a nonchalant air.

"Yes, I'm sure that's all you were doing." I said, holding my arms out for him to take.

Ada took the lead and began to move us around in slow circles. "Your Naneth tells me that you are displeased with me"

"A little bit yes" I said, though my face wasn't too serious.

"I will not apologise for wanting to find out the type of person this Kili is" He said.

I raised my eyebrows a little. Starting off an apology with 'I will not apologise' didn't seem like the best route to go down.

Ada saw my look and smiled "However, I will admit that there were other methods that I should have pursued first. I should have informed you"

"Yes, that probably would have been better" I sighed "Did you find out what you wanted to know at least?"

"I did" explained Ada "From what I saw, his feelings for you are genuine. He cares about you deeply." He paused "The way he looks at you reminds me of the way that I look at your Naneth. So I at least know that he sees you for the brilliant person you are."

Then Ada grinned "He also stood up to me, which I found rather admirable. He was clearly terrified of me yet he stood his ground when you were involved."

"So, do you like him?"

"Like is a strong word"

"Ada" I groaned

"I do not _dis_like him. But if you ever tell anyone, I will deny it most ardently" Ada was looking over my shoulder.

I smiled, that felt like high praise coming from Ada. "Thank you, Ada".

Ada returned the smile before looking back over my shoulder. I saw his eyes turn icy. "You're glaring at him over my shoulder aren't you"

"Of course not, what kind of Adar would I be if I did that"

I just laughed and shook my head.

"I do still think you could have chosen someone taller"

"Not when I'm only this tall" I chuckled "Also, Kili is considered to be tall for a dwarf"

Ada's gave a deep laugh "Is he now?"

The song changed to something more uptempo. Ada tried to accomodate for it. My feet on the other hand did not. They got tangled up in one of my many skirts and I nearly tripped up. Ada was there to stop me from falling.

My cheeks heated. I hope no one saw that. Though they probably did considering we were in the middle of the room.

"I'm not very good at dancing" I admitted.

"Yes, I did see what you were trying to teach your brother earlier. Though dancing may be a strong word for it"

"Hey!" I wasn't really offended, however, because I knew what he said was true.

Ada just laughed. "you could always stand on my feet like you used to when you were younger." he offered

"I'm probably a bit too big for that now"

Ada's smile grew into something more thoughtful. "You are right." he looked at me, a mixture of happiness and sadness in his eyes "You have grown into a fine and beautiful elleth" he closed his eyes briefly before opening them back up "It pains me greatly that I was not there to see it happen"

I gave him a sad sort of smile "Oh you didn't miss much really" I said, trying to downplay it "Just a lot of crying and teenage mood swings"

"You sell yourself short tithin ven"

Ada using his old nickname for me gave me an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Of all the love that he poured into it. Reminding me of how happy we were.

It also reminded me of what I had lost. All those years that I had spent thinking that I would never see him again. Never hear him call me his 'little one'.

But now we'd found him again. Through battles and orcs and death, we had made it here. And sometimes I felt so overwhelmed by that sheer fact.

I felt the telltale pricks of tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. My mouth formed a wobbly smile. "I'm so glad we found you Ada" my voice cracked.

"I'm glad too," he said, voice tight.

Then he drew me in for a hug and cradled my head to his chest.


	33. Bridge over troubled water

Now in the story, all the dwarves had escaped during the feast of starlight. While everyone was distracted. However, for obvious reasons, that didn't happen this time. The company wouldn't need to escape in barrels and spend several days undercover in Laketown. Instead they could take a straight road to the mountain. All with an elven entourage in tow.

This meant that the company spent an extra week in the Elven halls. Gathering strength and discussing battle plans. The dwarves were now fitter and healthier than they had been since the quest had started. Having ample sleep and the availability of meat also boosted their morale.

It made me feel more hopeful about the future of the quest. If they had managed to complete the quest when they were fatigued and near starving, imagine what they could do when they were at full strength. Surely they would all be more likely to survive.

Right?

The plan was that the company will be escorted by the Elven army to the mountain. Any roving orc packs that attempted to attack the dwarves along the way would be in for a nasty surprise. Once they were at the mountain, the elves were going to set up battle stations and distractions; as a way to lure smaug to where they wanted him to go. Mum informed everyone that we would need to find a man in Laketown by the name of Bard. It was only he who could wield the black arrow. We didn't want to tempt fate by having someone else make the killing blow.

Hopefully, if everything went according to plan, then Smaug would not decimate Laketown. Ensuring that thousands of people don't end up either dead or homeless.

Then we would have battles to contend with.

Thorin was not pleased to hear about the extent of his Orc problem.

"A War!?" Thorin exclaimed "You did not tell me of this"

This was in one of the meetings I had finally been able to attend. It consisted of Thorin, Balin, Dwalin and Kili. Along with Ada, Mum and Legolas.

I shrunk back against his shocked voice "I told you that Orcs would be after the mountain. Did you think that they would stop just because you reclaimed it?"

Thorin sighed down his nose. "No, I didn't. But I did not realise their magnitude. If this is true then we are going to need more than _elves_" He directed his distaste towards Ada, who merely narrowed his eyes.

"Dain will come," I reassured him. "If you send a Raven once the mountain is reclaimed then he will come"

I decided to leave in the part about the mountain being reclaimed first. Dain had already said that the Iron Hills would play no part in reclaiming the mountain. Instead he would offer aid once Smaug was dead. Which seemed like a cowards move to me. 'Oh I'll only help you once you've completed everything'.

At least they would show up when the battle begins. Unless something drastic happened that is.

Everyone was to leave with three days to go until Durin's day. It would give us time to set up and aid in evacuating the town. The elven army would settle near the foot of the mountain. Around the ruins of Dale. Then the company would go on ahead to the hidden door.

Thorin had refused any elven presence from coming with them . Which was perfectly reasonable to be honest. This was their home. They felt like they had a duty to protect it. A responsibility. The elves wouldn't really understand that.

I wasn't sure about whether I would be allowed to join the company. While I was still an elf, I also had a contract with them. I had travelled with them for months now. Traversed through dangers and helped them along the way. Surely that would count for something. I wanted to help them. My place should be with them.

My answer came on the day we were due to depart.

There was a nervous yet excitable energy in the air as we were finally moving. Everyone was busy preparing. With armour, weapons and horses being the main priority. The dwarves weapons had been repaired after their tumultuous journey. So that they were now in top condition. Fili was raving about the new knives he had received. Though where he would put them was beyond me.

I was helping to load a cart up with essentials. The elves had tried to dissuade me but ultimately gave in when I wouldn't stop lifting up the boxes. Though there were a few that were _way_ too heavy and I should not have been lifting. However, I was making a point and I stood by that.

The company were also sorting their belongings out. They tied their pack to the horses and adjusted the saddles. They were not best pleased about the lack of ponies. There were only full-sized horses in the stables as the elves had no need for smaller horses. Though they were given the smallest horses available, if that meant anything. The dwarves probably didn't see that though.

Some were braving a full sized horse while the rest would be riding in a cart.

"The King wishes to see you and Kili before you depart, your Highness," a voice came from behind me.

I put down the box I was carrying with a grunt. Once again it was a bit too heavy. Another elf was immediately there to pick up the box again. Though they looked like it was barely an inconvenience.

When I turned, I saw the serious face of Gwaenir. His armour was donned in preparation for us leaving.

"Ada wants to see both of us?"

"Yes, your Highness" he nodded.

I guess I would have to help finish packing later. My body turned back to face the crowd. Searching through the throngs of people. I spotted the top of Kili's head, peeking out from behind a horse.

"Kili" I shouted over to him.

His head swivelled as he tried to find the source of the sound. When his eyes met mine he smiled at me. I beckoned him over with a hand gesture. He ducked around the horse and made his way over to me.

"You called" he smirked.

"Yes, apparently Ada wants to speak with you" emphasising the 'you' part.

Kili's face fell and he went fractionally paler. "What? why does he want to speak with me?"

"Okay that was a bit mean" I backtracked "He wants to speak to both of us"

"Oh okay" said Kili, seemingly relieved that he wasn't going on his own. Then his eyes furrowed "But why does he want to speak with us?"

"Well we'll find out when we go" then I turned to Gwaenir, who looked amused at our interaction. "Lead the way Gwaenir"

Gwaenir guided us back into the mountain. We walked through the serpentine corridors until we reached Ada's study. Gwaenir knocked on the door first, waiting for an answer.

"Enter" a single command from the other side.

The door was quickly opened and we were escorted inside. Within I could see Ada, Mum, Legolas standing close to one another while Thorin and Balin stood on the other side of the room. Everyone in the study turned to face us when we entered.

I immediately felt like something wasn't quite right. My senses were picking up on something before my mind could comprehend what. It could have been the despondent faces or just the general air in the room. All I knew was that something was wrong and that I did not want to know what it was.

If Kili's heart rate was anything to go by, I would say that he could sense it too.

"How are we faring Gwaenir?" asked Ada, breaking the silence.

"We have nearly finished loading all the supplies, Sire. We should be ready for the journey within the hour" Gwaenir nodded his head respectfully.

"Good" said Ada "Keep me informed should anything change"

Gwaenir seemed to sense the dismissal in Ada's voice "Of course, my lord" he bowed before leaving the room.

As soon as he closed the door I felt the suffocating air fall around us once more. Mum smiled encouragingly at me from Ada's side. However I could see something was worrying her by her eyes. There were a few moments of agonising silence before anyone spoke.

"Liriel. Do you know why I summoned you here?" said Ada.

I did not but now I was starting to fear exactly why he did.

"Is it to do with the quest?" I asked, looking around the room. Thorin avoided my eye when I looked his way. That sent up so many red flags.

"Aye. It is lass" said Balin, his face was downtrodden.

"I do not wish to make this harder for you so I am not going to evade the matter at hand." I turned back to Ada when he started to speak.

"Liriel." he paused for a moment before resuming. I felt myself holding my breath. Waiting for the blow to strike. "You and Kili will not be continuing on with us. You are to remain here until the battle is over"

All the breath rushed out of me as if I had been hit in the chest. It felt like a physical blow.

No no no no. They had to be joking right? They couldn't expect me to stay here while people were potentially dying. My panic would eat me alive. Even now I felt my stomach twist painfully at the thought of being left behind.

"What!" Kili bellowed

"You can't be serious"

"I would not joke about something like this" Ada cut in.

I could feel pin pricks of tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. My frustration was bubbling over before I could stop it. " why? I've already come this far"

I couldn't come this far and stop right before the end.

"Yes and look what you have had to do to get here" Ada gestured between Kili and I "Liriel, you have bound yourself to another. If one of you were to fall then so would the other. Thus you would be in twice the amount of danger than anyone else out there"

Kili was shaking his head "But I can't not go. I need to come with you. I have to _protect_ you" Kili's voice broke on the word 'protect'.

"Kili" Thorin finally spoke up, "It is not your job to protect me. It is mine to protect you"

"Did you agree to this Thorin?" I asked.

Thorin nodded.

It felt like a betrayal. How had he agreed to this?

"Is this a punishment?" I didn't elaborate further. Feeling that Thorin knew exactly what I meant. Was this his way of punishing me for not telling him about my father?

"_No_, Leah" he sounded annoyed by the accusation. "As much as it _pains_ me to say" Thorin gritted his teeth as if the words were actually painful. "Thranduil is right. Having you with us will be a liability. If we are going to war-as you say we are-then all our lives will be in danger. I could not stand by while both of you were lost"

He spoke like it was an inevitability. Wow, who knew he had such confidence in us.

"Ada please" I pleaded, feeling all control slipping through my fingers.

"No, Liriel. This is final"

I felt like there was nowhere left to turn. My jaw clenched tightly as I tried to hold back on my anger. I couldn't have come all this way to not see it through. A feeling of nausea was also creeping as a byproduct of my frustration.

Mum approached me tentatively. Placing a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry Leah. I know how much this means to you."

I was caught between wanting to shake off her hand and needing it to ground me. She must have known about this. About what Ada had planned. She had known and she hadn't told me.

Ada then turned to my brother "Legolas, you will also be remaining here"

Wait what?

Legolas reeled back in shock. "Adar, surely you jest"

"As I have already told you this is not a time for jokes"

"But you know of my skills in battle. I would be of use to you"

"That is precisely why you must remain here." Ada gestured towards the back wall where I knew a balcony lay. "Orcs are gathering outside our borders. I need to know that this kingdom will still be well protected in my absence"

Legolas looked like he wished to argue further. Instead he grit his teeth and left the room.

I also felt like I wanted to flee. I couldn't bring myself to look in Ada's direction. If I did, then I knew angry tears would fall down my face. An anger was swirling in my stomach like a snake. A familiar tingling sensation began to build up in my hands. I crushed my fists closed as tightly as I could. Eager to keep a lid on the power building up. A faded light started to peak between my fingers.

Mum, seeing my predicament, squeezed my shoulders "Come on Leah, I think we could all do with some fresh air"

I would do anything to leave this suffocating room. She turned us around and quickly led us out of the room. I was too focused on containing myself to see where she was taking us. The magic was crawling under my skin, like ants. It felt like I was ready to burst. At one point Mum opened a door that led us onto a large balcony. My legs cleared the doorway in a few bounds. Just in time for me to yell out.

The strained, coiling power finally exploded out of me. A circle of light leaving my body. There was a sound of a crash. Something crumbling to the ground. It felt like such a relief to not have its invasive presence crushing down onto me. With the final release of magic I felt some of the sickness I had been feeling be alleviated. My magic must have been exacerbating my feelings of anger. Because now that it was gone I no longer felt like I wanted to tear my own hair out in frustration.

Instead, I placed my head into my hands. Trying to take deep breaths. My magic was coming more readily to me. While it was a good thing because it meant that I needed to waste less energy, it also meant that I needed to be more careful. I couldn't just 'blow up' whenever I got angry.

Mum had thankfully ducked behind the door when I had my 'moment'. Now she had come out and was next to me in an instant. Her arms wrapped around me. "Oh Leah, I'm so sorry"

I could tell by her voice that she genuinely was. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to explode like that" I turned my head to try and see what I had broken. Half a statue now lay on the floor with the other half nowhere to be seen. A good chunk of stone railing was also no longer there. It must have careened off the edge during my outburst.

Hopefully not onto anything important.

I felt mortified by what I had done. What if I hadn't left the room in time?

"I think it's understandable really" said Mum, her arms still around me.

"Did you know?" I asked, leaning back. "Did you know that he wouldn't let me go?"

Mum reached up and moved a strand of hair from my face. Placing it behind my ear. "He only informed me yesterday of his decision"

I guess that wasn't as bad as if she had known the whole time. But I was still annoyed that she had let me prepare for travel the whole time.

"Mum I can't stay here while everyone else goes off to fight. We're supposed to be trying to keep Thorin and Fili alive. How can I do that if I'm here?"

"I know, I know Leah. I tried to convince your Adar to let you come but he was adamant." Mum sighed.

On Earth it had been nearly 3 years since I needed to get explicit permission to do something. Mum trusted me to make my own decisions.I shook my head, dislodging Mum's hands from my face. I stepped backwards.

"I'm not a child anymore" I spoke while gesturing with my hands. Trying to nail in my point.

"_I_ know this Leah" Mum's voice was no longer as gentle. "I know this because I was there. I saw you grow. Every development, growth spurt or awkward teenage phase. I was there through all of it. I saw you become the caring and determined adult you are today.

But your Adar didn't get to see any of that. The last time he saw you, Leah, you were a little girl. A little girl that died in his arms because he failed to protect you from the very creatures that we are going to face."

I felt my breath catch. "But it wasn't his fault I died"

"I know that. But this is your Adar we're talking about, Leah. Of course he thinks it is his fault. He is blaming himself that much that he is refusing to put you in any form of danger. Even if you are more equipped to handle the situation, he couldn't stand to lose you again. He is going to protect you in every way he knows how"

Mum breathed in deeply "It's going to take some time for your Adar to differentiate between the child that he lost and the adult in front of him."

Mum's voice was soft again "I must admit that I'm struggling myself. Whenever I see your brother my first instinct is to mother him. He was my little boy, who always needed his naneth to protect him." There was a shine to Mum's eyes "But he's all grown up now. He doesn't need me anymore"

"Oh Mum" I reached back out to her "Of course he still needs you"

As much as I hated to admit it, what Mum said made sense. When Ada looked at me, he saw all of the missed years. All of the years that we should have spent together as a family. He has blamed himself for losing me this whole time. Of course he would try to stop me from running headlong into danger.

However, just because I understood why he did it, did not mean that I was happy with the decision.

"Are you still going?" I asked.

"Yes, Leah, I'm still going"

"So Ada's protecting me but he'll let you run straight in there" I said, slightly annoyed.

"Well for one I'm quite a lot older than you and have in fact fought in battles before." Touché "And two, your Adar can never say no to me"

I giggled a little at that, despite myself.

"I still don't know how I can stay here while you're all out there. I think I'm going to lose my mind"

Mum gave me an odd smile. "Leah I know that you are a very determined person. Should you choose to still help, I'm not sure that many could stop you"

oOo

We gathered along the front gates to see the procession. It was a little after midday and everything was prepared for departure. The elven army stood to attention in long straight lines. Golden armour gleaming in the sun. Waiting for their King's command.

The dwarves were milling around, making their reluctant goodbyes to us. I hugged them all and wished them luck.

"I can't believe yer no' comin' with us, lass" said Bofur as he hugged me. His hat managed not to knock me in the face this time. "It won't feel the same without yer"

"I know, I'm sorry"

Fili was hugging Kili. "I'm going to stay here brother, with you. My place is by your side"

"No Fi, you should go. They'll need you. Uncle will need you" said Kili.

"But.."

I butted in before he could say more. "Fili, we will probably see you a lot sooner than you think" I whispered as quietly as I could.

Kili gave me a look of confusion but I didn't elaborate.

After my talk with Mum I felt more determined than ever to find my way to that mountain. She had pretty much told me that I should try to escape.

We would follow them to Erebor. Now, we just needed to figure out how.

"Trust me" was all I said.

Fili seemed to accept my cryptic message. Albeit a little reluctantly. Both Fili and Kili made their way down the steps towards the rest of the company. Helping to prepare the horses.

Bilbo hadn't moved yet though. He was still lingering near the door. Wringing his hands in a worrisome manner. He tried to smile at me as I approached.

"I. er I think I might have a way for you to sneak of here..If you wish to" Bilbo's hand flitted to his pocket, the movement a little too rapid.

My mind immediately clued into what Bilbo was offering and I felt a horror rise within me. " thank you Bilbo" A hint of fear in my voice. The thought of taking the ring made me feel ill. I did not want to know what kind of dark thoughts it would try to leach into my head. The more power someone had the easier it corrupted them. With the energy I could feel pooling beneath my skin, I did not want to risk even touching the thing.

Though the fact that Bilbo was still offering it freely was a good sign. It hadn't dug his claws in too deep yet.

"I don't really have time now but when this is all over we need to have a long discussion about what exactly that thing in your pocket really is Bilbo"

Bilbo's eyes widened fearfully, his hand closed around something in his pocket. "Is it..Bad?"

Understatement of the century. However, I felt like I couldn't say this to him. The ring still needed to be used or Bilbo could find himself dead.

"Right now you could say it was benign" with a very large chance of becoming malign "But further down the line it will be..bad. So you need to be careful with it. Only use it when you really need to, okay?"

Bilbo appeared to be deeply concerned but he nodded all the same "Okay, Leah".

"Good luck to you, Bilbo" I said, leaning down for a hug.

The hobbit accepted my hug readily. "I think I might need a bit more than luck. Do you have any advice for me?"

I pursed my lips in thought "Er, Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus"

"What does that mean?" Bilbo asked Bewildered.

"Never tickle a sleeping dragon" I said, recalling the Hogwarts motto. It felt quite fitting.

Bilbo laughed "Yes, I will keep that in mind"

"Oh Bilbo there's one more thing" I peered around to make sure that there was no one to eavesdrop. One particular grumpy dwarf to be precise. I leaned down so that I was closer to Bilbo's height.

"Bilbo if you find the Arkenstone I need you to promise me that you won't give it to Thorin. Hide it if you have to." I whispered.

" ? I thought the whole point of me being here was so that I could find it" Bilbo was visibly concerned.

"It is, but there's a sickness on that horde Bilbo. It will try and get into his head. Feed him lies until he can't trust anyone. The Arkenstone will only make things worse for him" I pleaded.

I don't know if Bilbo could hear the seriousness in my voice or see the sincerity on my face but he didn't call me crazy. He peered up at me, scrutinising my face, until he seemed satisfied with what he found. He gave me a brief nod.

I let out a breath I was holding.

"I can't promise anything because Yavanna knows what is going to happen." he said "But I will try"

"Thank you, Bilbo" I breathed, straightening back up.

I gave his shoulder a squeeze before letting him move on. He would have quite the ordeal ahead of him and he needed all the comfort he could get. The dwarves welcomed him onto a carriage when he walked over to them.

"I am sorry that it came to this Leah" I heard a voice from the side of me.

Turning revealed it to be Thorin. He stood, arms folded, looking out onto the hustle below.

"You're doing what you think is right" I muttered.

Note how I said what he _thinks_ is right, not that it was the right thing to do. Thorin didn't pick up on the meaning of my words unfortunately. Or if he did, he decided not to comment on them.

I turned my body so that I faced him head on. When he felt me turn, he too turned to face me. Finally looking me in the eye.

"I need to say something before you go" I said "If this is the last chance I'll see you then I need to tell you now"

Thorin raised his eyebrows. His face taking on a more serious expression. "What is it?"

"I need to start by saying that you are not you're grandfather Thorin" Thorin's eyes darkened at the mention of his grandfather. "But that gold will still call to you."

Thorin shook his head, not believing my words.

"Now is not the time for denial Thorin. People's lives could be in danger" I pleaded "The gold sickness will try to grab you but you need to be stronger than it. You are stronger"

Thorin grit his teeth "You do not speak of the truth"

"I wouldn't lie about something like this Thorin." I took a deep breath to steady my voice. "You told me that I can't hide things that would affect the quest. This is one of them."

I sighed. "Anyway, even if it didn't happen, is it not better to be prepared for it?"

Thorin seemed to have some kind of internal battle with his thoughts. Eventually he said "Yes, I guess it would be better to prepare for every eventuality. Even if they _will not_ happen"

I knew that that was the best I was going to get. Thorin's vehement determination to prove me wrong would probably work in everyone's favour.

"Please look after Kili in my absence," he said, looking down at the company. His gaze settled on his nephews. "It devastated him that he would not be coming. I tried to convince him that this was for the best but he didn't take it well. Though he seemed to be more concerned for _my_ safety than his own, for some reason."

"He's worried about what's to come. The thought of not being there to help is causing him a lot of stress"

"Indeed"

I decided to surprise attack Thorin with a hug. Throwing my arms around his neck and resting my chin on his shoulder. If everything went wrong- i.e we didn't make it out of the mountain or something backfired with the battle-then this could possibly be the last time that I saw him. That thought made me a little emotional.

Thorin half stumbled with the force of my hug, making an 'oof' noise. He hesitated only a moment before his arms wrapped around me too. His arms a comforting weight.

"Be careful, Thorin" I mumbled. "And good luck"

"Thank you, Leah"

I untangled myself from him. Not wishing to make things awkward with a weirdly long hug. Finally, we bid each other goodbye and he went to join the rest. There was a rather heartfelt farewell between Thorin and Kili. After which, Kili came to join me back on the stairs.

You could tell the moment that Ada came into view because the whole guard visibly straightened as one. He entered via the door behind me. Mum and Legolas by his side. Mum was kitted out for battle, wearing an armour I had not seen before. Though it must have been hers because it fit perfectly. It was a kind of plate armour but with enough give for fluid movement.

Legolas, much to his chagrin, was wearing his normal attire. You could tell by his face that he wasn't pleased about the matter.

Ada placed a hand on my shoulder. "I do hope that you can find it in you to forgive me, Liriel. I am endeavoring to protect you at all costs."

"I know, Ada." All the anger I had felt earlier had left my voice. Now it merely sounded resigned.

"You will be well looked after here. And I will also send as many reports to the guards as I can. That way you are not kept in the dark"

"That's very considerate Ada" I said, and actually meant it. At least he hadn't been planning on letting me stew in my own panic the whole time.

I gave him, what must have been, my millionth hug of the day. Holding him tightly. "Be safe, Ada"

"I will, Liriel"

He seemed reluctant to let me go but did so eventually.

Then it was Mum's turn. She leaned down to hug me, the metal of her armour clinking together. Her mouth was next to my ear as she embraced me. "I've left you something in your room" the words were barely a breath. Only audible to my ears.

I didn't dare reply as she was obviously saying this on the down low. "I love you, Leah," she said in a stronger voice.

"I love you too, Mum"

It didn't take long for things to swing into motion. As soon as Ada mounted his elk and gave the signal, everyone was off. Marching or riding at a brisk pace. The dwarves waved back at us from the carriage they were on. It wasn't long before they passed beyond sight. Cresting a hill vanishing behind it. The three of us had watched on in silence.

"I cannot believe that he has kept us all here" said Legolas eventually. Then he looked down at me "Okay you I could understand. But why am I here?"

"Hey!" I said, shoving him with my shoulder "No need to make this personal."

Legolas threw his hands up, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I'm joking, I'm joking." Then he sighed. "But in all seriousness. I should be out there."

"I know" I said. "Ada is concerned about the Orc armies. He thinks that the kingdom will need to be defended so he chose the best" I jabbed Legolas in the arm. He seemed to understand my meaning.

"I guess that makes some sense" Legolas conceded.

"However, Ada doesn't realise that the Orc armies won't come here. They're after the dwarves not us. Now that the dwarves have moved on they'll be going for the mountain." I said.

"We need to follow them" Kili said from beside me.

"That's going to be more difficult than you think" said Legolas "Adar has informed the guards to stop the two of you from leaving these walls. They've been told to be extra vigilant"

Well that threw a wrench in our plans. The last thing we needed was an elven guard on high alert.

"I think Leah has a plan" added Kili

They both turned to look at me. I awkwardly glanced between the two of them "I do?"

"You made it sound like you knew what you were doing when you were speaking to me and Fili"

Well it's easy to sound confident. That doesn't mean that I had any idea how I was going to follow through with any of it.

"Okay, in all honesty, I currently have nothing" Their faces fell at my words. "But I think I know where to start."

oOo

After Mum's cryptic message I decided that finding out what she had left me was a good place to start. I also felt like it was probably a good idea not to be discussing escape plans while we were stood out in the open. There were literally ears everywhere. Big pointy ones with ridiculous ranges of hearing.

So we all bundled our way inside and made our way to my room. Kili felt a little uneasy when stepping in. Something about it being my private space. I think it may have been Ada's talk with him that was making Kili more concerned about propriety. I told him to stop being silly and pushed him further into my room.

The first thing that I noticed when I looked around, was a mound jutting out of the top of my bed. It was roughly covered with a blanket to make it less overtly noticeable. Though it wasn't doing the best job. It was clearly thrown on quickly before anyone could see.

I didn't hesitate as I made my way over and removed the sheet. My eyes widened at what I saw underneath.

It shone in the light from the fire in the sconces. A bright silver. Clearly brand new and never worn before.

Metal plate armour lay on the bed. With a chainmail shirt to go underneath it. When I picked up the edge of the chainmail shirt I was surprised to find it to weigh hardly anything. It wouldn't drag me down in any way.

Mum had armour made for me. The thought brought a smile to my face.

"Wow, is that for you?" Kili asked.

"I think so"

Legolas picked something up from the bed. An offwhite rectangle. "There's a note here"

I held my hand out for it and he handed it over straight away. The note simply said 'Leah' on the front of it in Mum's handwriting. I hastily unfolded it to read the rest.

_Dear Leah,_

_Your Adar has just informed me about his plans. I know that you will be very saddened when you discover that you cannot come with us. I tried to convince him but he is terrified of losing you again._

_However, I also know that not being with us will eat you up inside. You will drive yourself crazy with worry and plague your mind with all the worst-case scenarios. _

_I have a feeling that the guards will only be able to keep you from following us for so long. So I have had some armour delivered to you. As much as it agonises me to think of you in a battle, I also know that it is an inevitability. I just hope that this will be enough to protect you._

_The mountain isn't a prison, there are still hidden passages in and out of it. Some less known to the guards. If the dwarves managed it in the story then I'm certain you can do the same._

_I love you darling and I wish you the best of luck._

_See you soon,_

_Mum_

I felt my throat grow tight reading Mum's words. Dammit Leah keep yourself together.

"Right," I said, trying to shake off my sudden emotion. "Mum said something about secret passages in and out of the mountain. I assume they'll be a bit like the one Mum and I used to get in here" I focused my words on Legolas.

"She's right" Legolas perked up "There are a few passages that we could use. Though we would have to scope them out first. And we should probably leave under the cover of nightfall to give us a better chance of not being seen"

"It should probably be you who scopes them out Legolas. You're currently in charge so they won't be as suspicious if they see you wandering about. If they saw me and Kili they would probably close ranks."

"You're right" Legolas straightened up. "I will search for these passageways while you remain here. It shouldn't take too long if I'm efficient enough"

Legolas left the room with a new sense of purpose. His previous sadness had melted away.

When the door closed softly, it left only Kili and I in the room. I also realised that it was the first time Kili and I had really been alone in what felt like weeks. Ever since that day on the stairs, there always seemed to be another person around when we were together.

Kili let out a breath "Well this is not what I thought would happen today"

"You can say that again" I leaned in to rest my head on his shoulder. Burying my nose in his neck. His scent was comforting. "But we'll get to them, I promise"

I felt a small shiver from Kili as my breath glanced the skin of his neck. I suppressed a smile at his reaction.

"I believe you, Leah"

I stretched back up so that I could see him. My hands reached to cup his face. His eyes held worry in them but he still found it in him to smile at me. He grabbed my right hand and placed a kiss onto the palm. I used my other hand to guide his face closer. Capturing his lips with mine. It started off soft and sweet but quickly got more heated.

After so long not being able to do more than hold each other's hand, I wanted to be as close to him as possible. I pressed my body as closer to Kili's. He made a small noise at the back of his throat that made me deepen the kiss. Not only was my heart beating like crazy, so was Kili's. The sensation made me breathless.

One of Kili's hands found their way into my hair while the other circled my waist. Holding me to him. Even though I was wearing a dress, I could still feel the warmth from his hand. It sent a tingling sensation along my skin. The feel of it made me gasp.

It felt like the world had melted away and it was just the two of us in that moment.

When we broke apart we were both breathless. Kili looked up at me, his eyes seeming half intoxicated. My face became bright red with his heated gaze.

"That was nice" I breathed, struggling for words.

"That's one word for it" Kili's breath fanned out across me face. His eyes flickered between my eyes and my lips.

As much as I would have liked a repeat performance, I knew that there were more important things that we needed to focus on.

I still gave him one last kiss because I couldn't resist. Somehow, I managed to pull back before we got carried away again.

"Do you want to see what the armour looks like?" I asked.

A mischievous grin spread across his face. "I don't think I've ever wanted anything more"

The armour, thankfully, was pretty easy to get on. I managed it by myself. Which was probably good as I imagine Kili would have gotten a bit flustered. Though the idea of him helping me to attach my armour was strangely hot. I had to remind myself that now was not the time to be distracted again.

Also, it turned out that there wasn't only armour for me. There was also another mail shirt tucked underneath mine. I knew it wasn't a spare or anything because it would have been way too big. That meant that it was either for Kili or for Legolas. Seeing as Legolas had his own armour it left only Kili as the recipient.

I felt better knowing that Kili would have some extra protection.

When I finally had it all on I marvelled at it in my floor length mirror. "I don't think I have ever looked as cool as I do right now"

I'd changed into some thick trousers and a long-sleeved shirt before I put the armour on. It fitted comfortably across my chest. No stupid boob-cups to be found. It was entirely practical. The mail shirt hung underneath it. Peeking out of the bottom of the bodice in a way that made it look like a skirt.

Metal vambraces covered my forearms. Lined with carved patterns of leaves. There were also long boots with shin guards. Thankfully they looked better than the plastic shin pads I used to wear to play hockey with when I was younger.

All in all I embodied an awesome warrior princess vibe.

"You look.." Kili trailed off not knowing how to finish the sentence. His eyes roved over me, taking it all in.

"I'll take the stunned silence as a compliment" I giggled

We had to wait a little while before we could hear the sound of Legolas returning. He was gone longer than I thought he would. His movements were casual and nonchalant as he opened the door and made his way inside. Then as soon as the door was closed, his face fell and his posture tightened.

"We have a problem"

Oh great just what we needed to hear.

"What happened?" I asked, urgency creeping into my voice.

Legolas paced further into the room. "I went to all the hidden exits I could think of. Adar has shown me a fair few throughout the years. However, every single one of them have guards posted near them."

So all the hidden exits that Legolas knew about were ones that Ada had personally shown him. Then of course Ada would know to place guards outside them.

I ran my hands through my hair "We need an exit that Ada doesn't know about"

"How are we going to do that Li? Adar is the King he's bound to know of every way in and out of this Kingdom." said Legolas "Also, the ones I know of are the ones that he's shown me"

I bit my lip, trying to think. My thoughts drifted back to the letter Mum had written. I walked over to where I had placed it back on the bed. My eyes skimmed the words. Once. Twice. Trying to see if there was anything else tuck away in the words.

I stopped when I read the line "_If the dwarves managed it in the story then I'm certain you can do the same"_

The dwarves in the story…

"Fuck" I said, barely audible "We're gonna have to go in the barrels"

Fate was a cruel mistress it seems. Once I was reunited with Ada and the dwarves were freed, I thought it would be plain sailing to the mountain. No need for the slip 'n' slide from hell. However, destiny apparently couldn't stand the thought that no one would need to escape the elven halls in a wine barrel. So here we are.

"Barrels?" They both exclaimed, confusion clear in their voice.

"The wine barrels in the cellar. They're released into the river by a trap door. The river leads out of the mountain and towards laketown"

"By Eru that's brilliant" There was a new spark in Legolas's eye. "We can use the barrels to float down the river and climb out once we're a safe enough distance away. I can't believe I didn't think of it"

His enthusiasm was contagious and I found myself becoming more happy with the plan. The Barrel riding scenes had always looked so fun in the film. "You can thank Bilbo for it later"

Kili however wasn't entirely on board. "Are you sure that this is our only way out? I'd rather avoid nearly drowning if we can."

"You won't drown Kili. I won't let you" I said comfortingly "We're also not looking good with options right now. It seems like it's either this or we're stuck here."

Kili nodded. He didn't look entirely convinced but he didn't argue any further.

"Right" Legolas clapped his hands together. Forging ahead. "Dusk will fall in less than an hour. That is probably our best shot. I don't want to leave it too late in case there's cloud cover. We need to be able to see as clearly as we can"

When dusk did finally fall, we made our way out of my room. My armour had been removed so that it made sneaking around easier. Running around in plate armour was just asking for suspicion. Also, I had a feeling that soaking wet and freezing cold armour would be a terrible health hazard. So it had been stored inside my waterproof backpack. Most of its previous contents were left in my room. They wouldn't be necessary and would just weigh me down.

Legolas led the way. Sticking to the shadows and avoiding all the more well lit, crowded corridors. When we would hear a noise we would flatten ourselves against the wall or squeeze into small alcoves.

From the look on my brothers face, he was loving every second of it. The whole thing reminded me of the games we used to play when we were younger. Sneaking through the palace together. It brought a smile to my face too.

We were all behind a tapestry. It wasn't the best of hiding places but it was doing its job. I stuck my head around the edge to determine if the coast was clear.

"What in Eru's name are you doing?"

The voice startled me that much that I bashed my head against the wall stumbling back. Ow.

The person on the other side of the tapestry was none other than Tauriel. Her arms were crossed and her eyebrows were raised in a very unimpressed manner.

"Tauriel, heyy" I tried to say casually. Rubbing the sore spot at the back of my head.

At the mention of Tauriel's name Legolas emerged dramatically from the other side of the tapestry. "Tauriel, what are you doing here?"

"I've been following you for the past 20 minutes" she said very matter-of-factly. "Legolas, you have been acting suspiciously all day. So I decided to find out why"

The fact that she wasn't afraid to speak to royalty like that was so refreshing.

However, I was also annoyed. "Dude, what were you doing?" I asked Legolas "We specifically sent you so no alarms would be raised"

Legolas looked like he was about to defend himself but Tauriel cut in first.

"He is not the most covert elf, Liriel" said Tauriel, with a shrug. "Though you should not worry. I think it was only I who was suspicious of you"

"Does this mean that you aren't going to stop us?" I asked. If she was telling us not to worry did that mean she's on our side.

"So you are trying to leave then?"

Dammit, sort of shot myself in the foot there.

"We are" said Legolas "You should come with us Tauriel. We could use you"

"I'm not sure if that is best" she said, shaking her head.

"No it's perfect" I said "You always wanted to help the people that lay beyond these walls this is your chance"

" did you know that?" She whispered.

Then she shook her head, her resolve strengthening "But you are right. I will help you if I can"

"Can you keep the guards away from us?" asked Legolas "We're heading down to the wine cellar. You can meet us there once your done"

"I will try my best, Legolas" Then she looked back down the corridor "You are best heading back the way you came and going through the servants corridor. There's a patrol up ahead if you carry on this route"

Duly noted "Thank you, Tauriel" I said.

That went a hell of a lot better than it could have done. If it was anyone else who had found us we would have been screwed. Evidently, none of us were going to make it as a spy. Espionage was not our forte. I wonder what it would be like if Nori was with us. My gut told me that if he were here we would have found a way out by now; he had a knack for getting in and out of places.

Once Tauriel moved on, we followed the newly suggested route. It made the journey quicker as there did appear to be less people along it. Before we knew it we had made it into the lower levels of the kingdom. The air was colder down here and I could detect hints of moisture. A sound of rushing water ran below us and I knew we were going the right way.

Legolas entered the wine cellar first. Scoping it out before telling us that it was all clear. Now that most of the kingdom lay outside of these walls there was less need for wine. So thankfully no one was on duty. The room was ladened with shelves upon shelves of bottles. I tried not to get too caught up on the sheer amount of it.

"The barrel run off is through here" Legolas led the way, through the maze of shelves.

I tried my best not to knock into any of them. There was an image in my head of me accidentally knocking into a shelf and sending the whole place crashing down. I shook my head and told myself to stop being silly.

The shelves were probably more sturdy than that anyway.

The sound of the river was almost deafening here. This was where it was closest. A large rectangle was carved into the floor. With cogs and wheels attached to two sides. Where the floor would pivot and send the barrels out. Speaking of barrels, there were nowhere near as many as I thought there would be. There had been enough barrels for the whole company last time. Now there were barely four.

Us leaving at a different time meant that all the old barrels were gone. While there was enough for one each, I was a little concerned that it would make us more conspicuous. They usually only sent them out when they had enough empty ones. Seeing only four could raise the alarm.

However we didn't exactly have a choice.

Legolas already had one leg in a barrel. "I can't believe I've never thought to do this. Just think of all the adventures I've missed out on"

"I'm surprised you haven't given Ada a heart attack by now," I said, edging over to my own barrel.

"Oh I've come close many times." said Legolas, now standing up inside his barrel. "One time I accidentally impaled him with an arrow"

"What!?"

"I'll have to tell you the story sometime"

I can't believe he would say something like that and then just leave me hanging. What kind of situation occurred where Ada was in firing range?

Taking my backpack off my shoulder, I made sure that it was tied securely. Then I swung it inside the barrel. Hitting the bottom with a rather loud *Thunk*. Kili was moving his barrel so that it was next to mine. I debated the logistics of climbing into my own for a second. Before realising that it would probably be safer all round if I laid it on the floor.

I was just laying it near where the opening would be when Tauriel made her appearance. All of us were startled by the sound of the door opening. I just had time to lie down flat, not enough to hide. Legolas ducked inside his barrel and Kili kneeled behind his own.

Then blessedly it was Tauriel's face that came around the corner. She did a double take as soon as she saw me on the ground. "What am I looking at?" she asked, clearly perplexed.

"Err.." I looked up from where I was about to climb into my barrel "Were using the river to escape"

"Why in the world?" she shook her head, "I did not realise that this was your plan when you told me to meet you here."

Legolas popped up from his barrel, momentarily startling everyone. "All the other passageways are being guarded. This is the only way out that Adar had not thought of"

Tauriel looked like she didn't know whether to be perplexed or amused. "You do realise that I am a captain of the guard. I could have ordered a shift change if you had asked me to. You could have slipped through any exit of your choosing"

Well shit. That made a lot more sense.

Legolas and I both gave each other a look. Maybe we had been a little hasty with the plan. But time was of the essence so it's not hard to see why we jumped ahead.

However, we were here now. No point backing down now that we're already barrelled up.

"Okay, technically we didn't realise that you were on our team when we came up with the idea. And secondly" I shuffled my butt so that I was actually in the barrel. "We're already in the barrels now and there's no time to change the plan"

I don't know why I was being so defensive about the plan. In all fairness it wasn't a great one. But at the same time I didn't want to accept the fact that we were being a bit stupid. Also I feared that Legolas's heart would break if he didn't get to do this at least once.

Tauriel looked at all three of us. Then she appeared to surrender with a sigh. "Fine, fine. We'll do it your way".

Tauriel was the one who pulled the lever to release us all into the river. She didn't give us any warning when she did. The world just suddenly tilted forwards and gravity took hold. Sending us careening down a wooden slide. I nearly yelled out as it felt like my stomach was in my throat.

The crash into the water was the biggest shock. My barrel had landed with a colossal smack and bobbed several times. Freezing water poured in where the lip had gone below the surface. I couldn't control the loud gasp that left my body. This must have been a different river than the one used for bathing. It was so utterly cold.

Kili and Legolas had reacted in similar ways. though I definitely heard Kili swearing in khuzdul.

There was an empty barrel floating next to us. It wasn't long before it was filled. As Tauriel jumped down from above, landing gracefully in the centre. The portion of the ceiling that had opened up for us settled back with a soft thud. It blotted out any light left in the tunnel. Thankfully, the river was moving quite quickly so were weren't in utter darkness for long.

I reached my arm out into the direction that I knew Kili to be. My hand just grazed the wood of the barrel. "Kili, grab my hand"

He reached out blindly before he managed to find mine. His hand gripped me tightly. I felt more secure now that we were less likely to drift apart.

The tunnel opened up until we were no longer surrounded by rock. A sunset sky hung above us with the first hint of stars appearing.

Miraculously, there were no guards looking down upon us. Our escape had gone unnoticed.

I felt a laugh bubble up. Which quickly turned into a yelp as we went down a small waterfall. It was like a rapids ride except there was an omnipresent threat of injury that you don't normally get in a theme park. Equal parts fun as hell and fucking terrifying.

I could hear Legolas having the time of his life. Laughing every time the water would spin him around. Tauriel on the other hand looked a lot more in control. Keeping herself as steady as possible.

"Do you think we can get out now?" I shouted, the river had calmed down now and it was no longer rocketing us in all directions.

"Yes, there is an embankment up ahead we can use that to climb out" said Tauriel.

We managed to grab onto the edge of the bank without being carried off by the tide. Legolas got out first and helped me to climb out of my barrel. I had to dive back in and retrieve my bag before it could get washed away.

Tauriel helped Kili out of his. As soon as he got out he turned over onto his back. His eyes were closed and he was breathless. "I can't decide if I never want to see a barrel again or if I want another go" he laughed.

"How about we all get dry before we start talking about a repeat" said Tauriel. Ever the voice of reason.

A fire was burning before I even knew it. We had moved under a copse of trees to shroud ourselves. I sat myself down on a large rock. The heat felt delicious against my freezing skin. It would have been better if I could have taken the soaked clothes off but I couldn't. I had to settle for sitting by the flames and getting dry the long way.

Night had officially fallen. The stars hung like a blanket above us.

"Apparently there is not going to be a boring day now that you are back Liriel" smiled at me from his perch on a log.

"Why, thank you brother" I giggled,

"Mahal, I can't believe we just did that," said Kili "Fili is going to be soo jealous"

"It sure was..something" said Tauriel who was sharpening her sword. I could detect a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.

My sword laying next to me. I had taken everything out of my pack when we had settled. Preparing to put them all back on when I was dry.

"I think we need a team name" I said "Like the dream team or something"

"Dream team?" Kili laughed.

"How about Barrel Squad?" I added.

"We are not calling ourselves 'Barrel Squad'" said Legolas, his voice offended.

"You come up with something then"

Legolas pondered for a second, his lips pursing. "How about 'Royal runaways'"

"I like it" I nodded "But does it count if only 3 out of 4 of us are royal?"

"It counts because I came up with it" Legolas smirked.

I shook my head, laughing.

However, the camaraderie was quickly silenced by an unearthly screech. Like metal nails on a chalkboard. It sent chills down my back and my pulse racing in my ears. All of us were on our feet at once.

The sound stopped and the silence it left felt more deafening. Shadows writhed amongst the trees. Just out of reach of the light from the fire.

It was just an animal right? Just something hunting for its dinner.

Just as I was about to play off the sound as nothing serious it exploded once more. Infinitely closer and coming from more than one direction. This time it was with raspy laughter added to the mix.

"Orcs!" yelled Legolas, knocking his bow.

You didn't think that Thranduil would just let Leah risk her life to a dragon did you? That would be too easy lol  
You can't have a Hobbit story without the barrels it just can't happen.

Also I don't know why but I love to write Leah and Legolas as two halves of the same dumbass. Probably because that's what happens when me and my sister are together, we just keep encouraging each other without asking ourselves if what we are doing is in fact rather dumb.  
I know some people write Legolas as this aloof serious kind of character so i have a feeling that there may be a few people who don't like my characterisation of him. So I apologise if that is you.

I've told myself that there is about 7 chapters left of this story but considering how big my chapters seem to be getting that may end up being more. But we are coming to the end.


	34. It's getting dark, too dark to see

**Thanks for all the comment/favourites/ follows it really keeps me going. It makes me so happy that you have liked this story**

Their laughter was the thing that sliced through me the deepest. A small, vulnerable part of my brain still had a visceral reaction to the sound. The part where the memories of a scared child running away from those very same sounds resided. For a moment it felt like I was frozen. Like I had been plunged once more into the icy depths of the river. It made my muscles lock up and it felt like my feet were cemented to the ground.

I hadn't expected to be attacked yet. In no way what so ever had I mentally prepared for a surprise like this. My armour was still on the ground for crying out loud.

I guess it was rather stupid of me to not think about this kind of eventuality.

A large hand encircled my arm. Pulling me backwards in an almost bruising grip. Not a second later an arrow surged through the air. Slicing just in front of me. It missed my nose by mere centimetres. Tauriel spun with her sword in her hand. She glanced the arrow with the edge of her blade, cutting it in half. It clattered harmlessly to the ground at her feet.

It was also the shock that I needed to actually start moving. Nothing like being nearly shot in the face to get the juices flowing. If Kili hadn't grabbed me and hauled me back I dread to think where that arrow would have found itself.

Buried in my skull most likely.

Dwalin would have been disgusted with the lack of self-preservation skills I'd had at that moment. I'd spent the last several months training my ass off with him. Now was the time for me to actually put those skills to use. If I failed here then Ada was right to keep me behind.

I couldn't have that.

With only a look I thanked Kili. Then I dove down and picked up my sword from the ground. In a surprisingly fluid motion the blade was unsheathed and in my hands. Correct grip on the handle and everything. It would have been beyond cool if we weren't currently fighting for our lives. Though I had flung off the leather scabbard in a random direction. I would have to find that afterwards.

My eyes had adjusted more in my dire need. I could now see the small troop of orcs that surrounded us. Though I say small. There had to be at least 20 orcs around us. They varied in size. With some definite Gundabad orcs in their midst. They towered above everyone and stood at almost 7.5 ft. They mostly stood nearer the back. Letting the grunts do most of the work.

Legolas was firing arrow after arrow. The sound of choked groans made me suspect that most of the shots had landed. Though they weren't downed by any means. The creatures soldiered on like it was nothing. More like an undead zombie hoard than anything else.

One caught a Gundabad orc in the shoulder. The thing looked down at it as if it was nothing more than a toothpick. With a meaty fist it grabbed the arrow shaft. Snapping it in one swift movement. A mocking smile was already on his lips.

Kili had, thankfully, already had his sword in hand. An orc ran towards him. Breaking rank from the others. It charged with a serrated dagger in its hand. Bellowing with an unnatural screech.

Kili spun out, swinging his sword in a round arc. There was a lot of power in his swing and it sliced through the orc with ease. Right through it's mottled abdomen. Severing muscle and sinew alike. Leaving a gaping whole where it's stomach used to be. Black blood oozed out of the opened wound. The creature barely had time to cry out before it pitched sideways. It's eyes guttering out.

More began running forwards. Trying to swarm us, like insects.

A cry from behind me had me twisting on my heels. Instinct had me bring my sword above my head. Just in time to have an axe handle brought down upon me. The sword and axe clanged together in mid air. Wood splintering against the edge of the blade. The force nearly had my arms buckling. My legs weren't in the proper stance either. With twisting around I had managed to cross them in front of each other. It made me unstable and I nearly fell backwards.

The axe head had gotten perilously close to my shoulder. But I had caught it in time. With gritted teeth and a roar I pushed back against the orc. It stumbled back only slightly, relinquishing the pressure on my sword. Giving me enough chance to step backwards and away from the creature. My feet moved to the correct stance.

Dwalin told me that I needed to use speed because I was too scrawny to rely on my strength. If I kept trying to deflect blows head on I would tire too fast and make a mistake. I needed to move about. Not be still for too long.

"Come here little elfling" the creature jeered. Spittle flying out from between its rancid teeth. "Let's have some fun"

I tried to quell the panic that shot through me. The words were too similar to ones I'd heard before. My heart beat had already skyrocketed. Every nerve ending felt like it was firing at once. My palms were becoming slick against the pommel of my sword. I had to grip it tighter to stop it from slipping in my hands. There was no room for my grip to falter

The orc reared up again. Hefting the axe above its head.

I dodged to the side. Making sure not to cross my feet over this time. The axe came down in the space that I had just vacated. I could feel the air it dislodged. Without thinking too much, I struck out with my sword. Arching the blade across the orcs wrists. The sword vibrated as it hit bone. Nearly causing me to drop it.

The skin sliced open and the orc screamed. It dropped the axe to the ground and stumbled back. An all consuming anger took over its face. Nostrils flaring, teeth bared.

"You'll pay for that" it spat. Literally spat.

The wrist that caught the brunt of my attack hung uselessly by its side. However, the other hand bared its clawed nails. It launched itself at me with a roar.

I hadn't expected it to charge. Panic gripped me. My body acted on instinct and tried to jump backwards. But my feet collided with something. A small boulder. It sent me toppling head over heels.

I had just enough forethought to bring my sword close to my body.

The orc fell with me. Launching itself with tooth and nail. Its dagger like nails dragged down my right arm. Like fire lancing along my skin. Its teeth gnashed close to my face.

We both landed against the hard unrelenting ground. It knocked the air out of me. But I managed to successfully keep hold of my weapon. Slick, black blood now coated my hands and seeped into my shirt. The momentum of the fall had forced my sword through the orc's gut. It had effectively impaled itself.

Bile rose up in my throat. The thing was monstrously heavy and twitched as it died. It was too close, too crushing. I felt trapped. A small cry escaped as I tried to push the orc off me. Arms straining with the effort. With considerable determination I was able to climb out from under the creature. It rolled off me onto its back. My sword still stood in the centre of its gut. Like some obscene effigy. With a foot for leverage and a grunt I unearthed the sword.

A shake threatened to overtake my hands. I battled to keep them under control.

I looked down at my hands, shaking and covered in blood. Then immediately felt like an idiot. Why was I wasting time swinging a sword around when I had a literal weapon in the palms of my hands? I wasn't playing to my strengths. Things like that could get me killed if I wasn't careful.

I didn't get much more time to chastise myself. One second there was nothing, then the next there was a looming shadow. It reached out and grabbed me before I had the chance to react. A hand covered the lower half of my face. Nearly suffocating me in its grasp. It slammed me into it. My head bounced off its body. I barely reached the things chest.

The other hand held a rusted knife under my chin. I felt its booming laugh radiate through my back, as I struggled in its grasp. It spun me around to face the rest of my group. I could see that they had dispatched most of the other orcs. They lay strewn across the muddy ground.

Kili's eyes were so wide and his fear was palpable. Legolas and Tauriel were better at concealing their expressions.

The orc holding me reached out with its knife. Pointing to the others. "Drop your weapons" its voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Then it moved its knife back to me. The metal grazing my neck. "Or this one.."

I didn't give it the chance to speak anymore. My hands had moved to reach behind me. Digging my nails into whatever skin I could find. Then I focused all my hatred. All my anger. All my fear. I focused it all directly into my hands. The electric vibrations shot through my arms aggressively. Manifesting into a blinding power.

This was the first time I had knowingly used my power to hurt something. The other times it had happened on instinct or it was accidental. This time I wanted it to happen.

It did not disappoint.

The magic burst out of me in an explosion of power. Bright, white light danced across my vision. Burning, tearing, singeing. It cut the orc of mid sentence. There was never any chance for the creature to escape. The magic tore through him like he was nothing. Until its own body ruptured and only pieces of it remained. Pieces that were now raining down upon everyone like a biblical plague.

My vision swam and my knees nearly gave out below me. Kili was suddenly there next to me. I happily leaned on him for support.

Maybe that was a bit much. Note to self, don't use that much power next time if I didn't want to faint mid battle. I needed to find a happy medium of explosion and energy conservation.

"It exploded!" I heard Legolas yell. His voice was a mixture of awe and disgust.

I didn't need the reminder. There was enough dessicated orc coating my clothes to emphasize that fact. Black, almost oil-like, blood clung to me. I could feel it. Hot and putrid all across my back. The smell brought tears to my eyes. There were globules of matter stuck to me. A part of my mind knew that it was flesh but I urged myself not to think about it. If I thought about it I would scream.

Legolas seemed to come to his senses. He looked up from the patch of blackened ground and finally seemed to 'see' me. "Oh Eru, Liriel are you okay?"

He started to reach out as if he was going to embrace me. A voice interrupted him.

"The other orcs tried to run" said Tauriel walking back to us. In my daze I hadn't even realised she had gone. "I caught up to them easily enough. They were easier to kill when they were on the retreat"

So we were safe for now.

"They were likely a scouting party. Trying to spy on the dwarves. There could be more about" said Legolas "We cannot let our guard down"

"Here drink this" Kili offered me a skin of water.

I accepted it greedily. With hope that the cold water would help to settle me. It soothed the burn in my throat and helped to clear my head. I'd nearly downed half the skin before I realised and handed it back to Kili.

The shakes thankfully stopped and I didn't feel as woozy anymore.

"Are you okay?" Kili implored.

He reached out to take my arms in his hands. Looking me up in down in case I was harmed. Just as I was about to nod his hand brushed against the top of my arm. I hissed through my teeth and flinched away. Dark red blood mingled with the black. I knew it was mine. The first orc had managed to sink its claws in deep.

"You're hurt!"

"I'll be okay" I muttered, not really believing my own words.

There were three gashes down the top of my right arm. They weren't as deep as I feared. But now that I noticed them again the burning pain returned.

"We should not linger," said Tauriel. She looked around and towards the horizon. Checking for more orc packs most likely.

"Leah's hurt we can't move yet"

Tauriel's eyes swung back towards me. She zeroed in on my arm. "I can help you, Liriel. My healing skills don't match that of a true healer but they are efficient enough"

The wound needed to be cleaned first before Tauriel could have a look at it. I took it as an opportunity to clean the rest of me too. Thankfully, I had the forethought to pack at least one extra shirt. My leggings would have to deal with the light misting of blood. It was my shirt that was the most covered anyway.

I cleaned as best as I could in the river. Kili and Legolas conveniently found other things to look at. Tauriel helped me to get the worst of it out of my hair. Her hands were gentle and comforting. I felt bad that I had been short with her when we first met. She was genuinely nice to people.

Once I no longer looked like a serial killer, Tauriel got to work on my arm. She muttered a string of sindarin under her breath. A spell of sorts. It worked as a kind of catalyst for her magic. Her hands glowed faintly and I felt the pain die down. Moving from burning, to throbbing, to a dull ache. The skin knit itself back together. But not completely smoothly. There were still defined raised lines.

"That's the best I can do for now. It may scar if you do not get it healed by a professional. But otherwise it is perfectly healed"

That's all I could really ask for. What were a few more scars down my right arm? As long as I no longer had an open wound I was golden.

I finally donned my armour. With Kili's help tying it all on, it didn't take too long. Kili put his mail shirt on as well. We were not taking them off any time soon. An orc pack could be roving nearby. They wouldn't catch us unaware again.

We didn't dally much longer. I couldn't bear the sight of the mutilated orcs scattered across the field. It would make me nauseous if I didn't look away. Legolas led the way. Him and Tauriel were scanning the horizon. Not letting their guard down for a single moment.

Kili held my hand in his. Effectively pulling me along. His strong grip was keeping me grounded in the here and now. Though my mind did still wander. Self doubt and panic still found their way through.

"Was Ada right?" I whispered to Kili "Maybe I should have just stayed"

Out of the four of us I had the least amount of fighting experience. I was the biggest liability here. Hell, if Kili hadn't have pulled me out of the way in time I could be impaled by an arrow.

"What do you mean?"

"It's just" I shook my head "One slip up and I could have killed us both. I don't have the same fighting experience you all have"

Kili squeezed my hand. "You're too hard on yourself Leah. You can do impossible things that none of us could ever do."

"But I keep freezing up. The next time it happens could be the last time"

"Next time you'll be more prepared. You'll know that it's coming." said Kili "We can do this Leah. I believe in you"

I looked into his eyes and found no lies. He genuinely believed in my capabilities

"The reason we're even doing this in the first place is because we can't leave when we know we can help. None of us would have been able to stick it out in the elven halls for long"

oOo

The Royal Runaways plodded ever onwards. I was actually quite fond of the name now. It suited us quite well and could also be a kickass band name. As a way to distance and distract myself from the night's events I tried to imagine what our band would be like.

I would be the singer because I wasn't that great at any of the other parts. I mean I was passable on the guitar but nothing special. Kili would definitely be the violinist (Because obviously every great rock band has one). Though I reckon he could throw in some great backing vocals. Hitting all those deep notes I could never touch. I have a feeling Legolas could play a mean guitar solo. He seemed the type. Probably had like hundreds of years more experience at it than me too. Tauriel would be on the drums. She could hit out at enemies well enough I had a feeling she'd be great at hitting a drum skin too. Over very own Roger Taylor.

What would our hit single be? Barrel full of love? No that's way too cheesy. Err, Night Raid? Yeah, that sounded badass enough.

During my musing we were climbing over rocks and forging across streams. It would have been a hell of a lot easier if we had horses. But you couldn't be picky when we had only just escaped. This was the bed we made now we must lie in it. Or hike across it, if you will.

We walked for what must have been almost two hours. The lake cut across a lot of our path and we found ourselves having to journey around it. Taking the river had cut out a significant portion of our overall time. But now we were slowed right down.

Legolas wanted to run the whole way there. I had to give him a hard no on that one. Elven physiology might have given me a boost but my stamina wasn't as good as his. I'd need a good few years before I would be on level playing field with him again. I was also thinking of Kili. As Gimli said, dwarves are wasted on cross country. By time we made it to the mountain we would have had to scrape him off the floor. There was no point tiring us all out before we even got there. That just wasn't a good strategy.

So we lumbered on at a sort of half jog. A compromise that Legolas had deemed acceptable.

Lights began to materialise in the distance. Flamelight of a campsite. It had to be the Elven army. There was also a strange cloying scent in the air. Sweet and earthy. It went right to the back of your throat and I had to stop myself from coughing.

"What is that?" I coughed

"Deliosp" said Legolas, the scent did not seem to affect him. Though there was a big chance he'd smelled it before.

"And that is?"

"It's a type of herb. When you burn it, it can be used to conceal the scent of you and those around you" said Tauriel.

"As you can probably smell, it is quite effective" Legolas laughed.

That was quite clever. Masking our scent from Smaug. That way he wouldn't be able to scent any of the elves nearby. So when he finally emerged we could surprise attack him.

I imagine the herb itself doesn't get used very often. Surely there aren't that many enemies that could sniff you out. Then again, I guess Wargs counted and they had been scenting us all the way across Middle Earth. Maybe we could have used this Deliosp stuff on the way here. Would have saved us a world of trouble.

We reached the top of a small peak. Directly in front of us stood the mountain. You couldn't exactly see it in the darkness but you could _sense_ it. A huge shadow against the backdrop of the sky. I knew that it would be an amazing sight when we finally got to see it in the sunlight.

All of us lay on our fronts. As close to the ground as we could. The grass was slightly damp and tickled my face. I had to spit out a few blades of grass that got a bit too up close and personal. The Elven camp stretched out below us. It was close to the treeline with more shelters set up within the forest. The people moved about at a sedate pace. No orcs must have found their way near then.

There were a few humans mixed in amongst the elves. Some were helping. Some were complaining. and I assume most were actually asleep. Ada must have started the evacuation of Laketown.

"What do we do now?" I mused.

Now that we had made it this far I didn't actually know what to do next. In my mind it was just 'help with smaug' and 'win the war'. I hadn't thought about what would happen in between those. We couldn't just waltz in like we owned the place. Ada would skin us alive. But at the same time we couldn't just hide forever or we wouldn't actually help anyone.

"I hadn't thought this far ahead" said Kili from beside me.

Great another one of us who wasn't thinking.

"Maybe we should just try to blend in" said Legolas "Pretend that we are supposed to be there."

There was dumbass number 3. I just needed Tauriel to do something now to make it 4 for 4.

"We aren't exactly unrecognisable you know. I'm 5ft 2, Kili's a dwarf, Tauriel's ginger and you're the prince"

Technically I was also a princess but my people hadn't had as long to recognise me by my face than with Legolas. They were more likely to notice the height first.

Tauriel shuffled forwards a bit so that she could see me "What would me be ginger have to with any of that?"

"I dunno, I didn't want to leave you out and it's the first thing that came to mind" I'm not a gingerist I swear.

She just raised her eyebrows at my response.

Just as I was about to ask Tauriel for any ideas, the sound of twig snapping caught my ears. It was a lot closer than I expected. The sounds of the camp had distracted me from the sounds around me. Before we had the chance to react, lantern light fell upon us.

Two elves had found us. One holding a lantern for guidance and the other with a knocked bow. A bow that had originally been levelled at us. But when he saw who was lying in the grass he weakened his grasp.

My eyes widened in fear of being caught. I decided to roll with it. Leaning up on my arm and resting my head on the palm of my hand. All natural like.

"Heeey Thanor" I said, recognising one of them "What brings you to this hill?"

"Your Highness what are you doing up here?"

"We were just chilling" I said with a nonchalant shake of my head "Nothing you need to concern yourself with"

"Your highness, you were under strict orders to remain in the palace." said the one with the lantern. "We're going to have to bring you to the King"

"Surely we could negotiate something" said Legolas, who was now standing up.

"The king's orders overrule yours I'm afraid, your highness"

So as it turned out. The decision was made for us. We were in fact just going to go straight to my parents. A sense of trepidation burned through me. This wasn't going to be pleasant at all.

"We should have bribed them in some way" I muttered under my breath.

They were leading us through the campsite. Winding around the smaller tents, heading towards the largest one. The elves that we passed gave us surprised looks. They knew that we weren't supposed to be there.

"Elven guards are not easily bribed, Liriel" Tauriel said.

"You were," I joked "All we had to offer you was the opportunity to help others and you were hooked"

"I was not bribed," she said, affronted.

"Suuure"

She just shook her head and stopped listening to me.

The tent entrance drew closer and I felt my mouth go dry. Kili's heart rate picking up also wasn't helping.

Someone must have ran on ahead because before we even went through the door I heard a loud "WHAT?!"

The door of the tent was ripped open and suddenly Ada was standing before us. I jumped back with how quickly he appeared. There was a fire in his eyes that I had yet to see. As soon as he laid eyes on us all, his jaw tightened and his nostrils flared. I felt very much like a child again. About to be scolded by her Ada.

Ada moved to the side and pointed into the tent. "Inside. Now" he said through gritted teeth.

I wasn't going to make him wait when he was this angry. My feet carried me through the doorway with startling speed.

Mum was standing just inside. Her expression showed no sign of surprise and she gave me a sympathetic smile.

"What part of 'stay inside the mountain' did you not understand?" Said Ada, directing his question towards me. My eyes looked down, not able to make contact with his. "You do realise that I did that for your own protection"

"Of course I do but.."

"Obviously you do not or you would not be here" Then he turned his attention to Legolas "And I thought I left you in charge of _protecting_ our Kingdom. Why are you _here_?"

"I couldn't in good faith let Liriel venture out alone Ada. I came along to protect her"

The lying little shit. "Hey! Don't put this on me. You wanted to leave even more than I did"

"Enough! both of you" Ada sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I had forgotten just how _idiotic _you two were when you were together." Ada grumbled "It is like you suddenly only have one brain to share between the two of you"

Ada turned away as if he couldn't bear to look at us. He picked up a goblet from the table and downed it in one. My ambled over and rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

"They aren't children anymore melamin" Mum's voice was like a soothing balm "We have to let them make their own decisions"

"Even if those decisions get them killed!" Ada snapped

"I couldn't just sit there Ada. We're here now please, just let us help" I pleaded.

Ada turned back towards me "What makes you think that I am not just going to send you back?"

"There are orcs" said Legolas "We encountered an orc pack earlier tonight. They must be amassing to the south of here"

To try to send us back now could be more dangerous than letting us stay. They would need quite a few guards to escort us back. Guards that would be necessary here.

"You are saying that there are orcs roving around us already?" Ada's voice was alert

"Yes Adar"

"I will send scouts to comb through the area" said Ada "It would seem that you have gotten your wish. It is too dangerous to send you back now so you must remain here"

Ada turned to me. Looking between Kili and I. "You will do exactly what I tell you, do you understand? I will not have you risking your lives needlessly. If I see you trying to do something outlandishly dangerous I am not above tying you to a tree"

"We will listen" I promised, as long as I could stay here I could deal with that.

Kili nodded too.

Ada rubbed his head as if it pained him. Then he sighed and stood up straighter. "I am going to talk with the guard. Do not do anything stupid while i am gone" With that Ada stalked out of the room.

As soon as he left It felt like I could finally breathe. Crisis averted... Kinda

"Well that went to be expected" said Mum

I walked over and looped my arms around Mum. She rested her head on the top of mine. "He'll come around eventually darling"

"I mean I call this progress" I joked "He only threatened to tie me to a tree he hasn't already done it"

Mum laughed too. "So how did you make it out then? Is it a daring adventure story?"

We told Mum how we had escaped from the elven halls. Using the clues in her letter.

"The Barrels?" She said, shocked "Why on earth did you do that? I thought I told you to use one of the hidden entrances"

So she hadn't been hinting at us to use the barrels at all. My inferring skills needed a freshen up it seemed.

"In our defence they were all guarded" Legolas tried to claw back some dignity.

"You could have waited for a shift change" Mum's face was bemused.

"That's what _I_ said" Tauriel chimed in.

"It doesn't matter" I cut my hands through the air to signal that the conversation was over. "What matters is that we are here now. That's what is important"

"If you say so darling" Mum patted my face in a very sarcastic way.

I let it slide for now. Just happy that we were finally here and we weren't going anywhere. Now we just had a dragon to contend with.

**I honestly didn't think I'd manage to do this chapter today. I mean half way through writing this my sisters dog managed to lock itself in her car with the keys inside. We had to spend an hour trying to get the dog to stand back on the central locking button. But we did it, Woo.**

**This chapter isn't great because it's more of a filler chapter before we get to Smaug. Which is happening next chapter. You'll get to see what the elves have thought up to defeat the great Wyrm. And if it all goes to plan. hint hint, nothing ever does.**  
**Hopefully the next chapter will flow better.**


	35. Looks like we're in for nasty weather

**Okay so once again I got carried away. I can't seem to help myself. But I promise that Smaug will be in the next chapter.**

It was the middle of the night when we had finally arrived at the camp. There wasn't much to do until the sun finally broke over the horizon. So we made the executive decision that sleeping was the best choice. If we didn't it would mean that we would have been awake for over 36 hours by time night would fall again. It wouldn't do to have us all dead on our feet when Smaug arrived now would it. Falling asleep while the dragon potentially burned us all to the ground; no thank you.

It was harder than I expected to fall asleep though. Mum had found us some bunks to use that resembled the ones you would find in an army barracks. They weren't the most comfortable of surfaces. After spending nearly three weeks in the comfort of my own feather down bed, it was hard to readjust. However, it was off the ground which was a huge improvement from the rest of my journey.

Comfort wasn't the only thing that kept me awake though. Now that we were here, beneath the shadow of the mountain, it suddenly felt more real. All the people I could hear beyond the tent walls-the quiet conversations and occasional laughter- they were all in danger. Any one of those people could have their lives snuffed out in an instant if the plan went awry.

Eventually, sleep won out over my troubled mind and I got at least a few hours in. And I only mean a _few_. This was because, when the sun had barely crested over the skyline, I was rather rudely awoken.

There I was all peaceful and tucked into my borrowed blanket. As warm as you could really be in an environment as frigid as this. Then in the next moment there was a loud crash and my covers were ripped from my body. Exposing me to the cold. It was rather a lot to happen in the space of a few seconds. Especially as I went from deep sleep to awake in an instant. I jumped up and looked around in a tired, panicked daze.

My bleary eyes finally settled on the tall form of my Ada standing over my bed with a woefully unimpressed look on his face. "Wake up, Liriel"

"I'm awake, I'm awake" I said, rubbing my eyes.

When I dropped my hands I looked around and noticed the amount of light that permeated the room. Or the lack of it, I should say. "What time is it?"

"Why the sun rose not 5 minutes ago dear daughter" Ada was still in a surly mood I could see. "And seeing as you so desperately wanted to be here that you blatantly ignored my instructions, you can make yourself useful. There will be no lazing about so up you get"

My mouth down turned into frown. I wouldn't have _lazed_ about anyway. I would have found a way to help people. However, I probably would have started it at a more reasonable time. Maybe three hours from now. Ada probably knew that already. Waking me up at the crack of dawn was part of the punishment.

Squashing down as much of my grumbling as possible, I made to get up. There was a slight wobble in my legs-as the bed was quite low-but I managed to stand up.

"I'm up" I said with a tired smile and a thumbs up.

"Better" Ada said with a slight tilt of his head. "Meet me outside and I will inform you where you are needed"

He left with no further comment. The door to the small side chamber I was in fluttered closed. That was one way to wake up I guess. Though it wasn't the soothing bird song and wind chimes I had hoped for, you can never be too picky. I rubbed my face with my hands and sighed. Slapping my cheeks lightly in a bid to wake myself up.

When I finally made it outside, I found that Ada wasn't alone. Kili and Legolas were also standing before him. Ada must have woken all of us and rounded us all up. We all ended up with different jobs of varying difficulty.

Much to his chagrin, Legolas was told to go and attend to the horses. He was not a happy bunny and muttered something about nearly getting kicked the last time he received 'horse care' as a punishment. The way he said it made me think that this was a frequently occurring thing. After all these years I feel that Ada had sussed out which punishments Legolas loathed the most.

Though that wasn't the case for Kili and I. Kili was assigned some manual labour. He was to help move some of the heavier boxes. The ones that the humans were bringing with them in their evacuation.

Not all the humans had evacuated yesterday. In fact hardly any of them had. The Master of Laketown had strictly forbidden anyone from evacuating until the treasury was evacuated first. Ada had tried to persuade him otherwise but the egotistical dick was having none of it. The treasure couldn't be moved yesterday as the day had been lost. They had to wait until morning before they could start. The humans that were in the camp at the moment were the ones that had blatantly ignored the Masters ruling. Thinking about themselves and their families above that greedy prick. Good for them.

So Kili was to help bring in the gold from the Masters vault. The quicker it was retrieved, the quicker we could start evacuating everyone else. Kili didn't mind that at all. He was a dwarf after all. They were built for hauling heavy things.

Ada then turned to me and told me that I would be helping Mereneth with the food. She was the head chef from the royal kitchens. It was a large camp and they all needed feeding. I was going to help her with preparing bread and soup. Soup was always a solid choice when you had to feed a large group of people.

The way Ada looked at me it was like he expected me to moan about it as much as Legolas had. He wasn't particularly pleased when I seemed happy about my 'punishment'. If I remember correctly I think there was a time when I had been given kitchen work as a punishment. Little me had despised it for some reason. That was probably what Ada had been drawing inspiration from. However, jokes on him I love cooking now.

As soon as he had given us our new tasks, Ada had to leave. There were some very time sensitive tasks that he needed to over see. It did give us some time to talk before we had to go our separate ways at least.

"I assume your wake up call was a little nicer than mine" said Kili

"I mean Ada hit what sounded like a gong and then ripped the blanket off me. I wouldn't say it was particularly nice" I chuckled.

"My bed was flipped over" Legolas spoke up. Then a strangely smug look descended on his face. "But I still landed on my feet. I'm too agile to sneak up on"

That sounded like the most unbelievable lie. While Legolas was probably more in tune with when people were trying to sneak up on him, Ada had a good few thousand years more experience. He could move unheard and unseen if he so wished. Legolas likely never even guessed that Ada was there. He probably squeaked and landed in a heap.

"Sure you did Legolas" I said

His eyes narrowed as he detected the sarcasm in my voice.

"Well I woke up with his face inches away from my own. I honestly thought that I was about to die. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had had a knife to my throat" Kili was slightly pale.

"I assume he didn't have a knife"

"No, no he just sort of..hovered..menacingly" said Kili "When he told me to get up I nearly headbutted him with how fast I moved"

I tried to suppress a smile at the images Kili's story was creating. I wanted to be supportive but good lord I wanted to laugh.

Legolas bid us goodbye first as he wanted to 'get it over with'. He wound his way through the camp towards where the horses were being kept. I turned back to Kili to give him a brief goodbye when I caught him looking towards the distance. The sun had risen a little more and the first rays of light were stretching out across the clearing. An amber hue mixed into the shadows. It created just enough light to finally be able to view the mountain in all its glory. Towering above us and emanating a looming presence. When you looked at it, it was clear to see why the ancient Greeks believed that Gods would live amongst the tops of mountains.

"I thought Fili would have been with me when I finally got to see it" Kili's voice was small. A hint of sadness peeking through.

It turned out that we had missed the company's departure. They had already left for the mountain by the time we had arrived. The dwarves were going to find the door beforehand and camp out there until the moonlight fell upon it. The last light of Durin's day. It was today. Meaning that Kili and I had lost our chance to join them. We would not make it to them in time to enter the mountain. It had been quite disheartening for Kili.

I reached out and squeezed his hand. "You'll see him soon Kili, I promise"

If everything went to plan, once the dragon was dead the two of them would be reunited. In time for us all to prepare for another battle.

oOo

After a little bit of wandering, I found my way over to the makeshift kitchens. Mereneth was a strong and stern elf. Her dark brown hair was secured tightly away from her face. She wasn't the kind of person that would take excuses. Either you did your best or you did nothing.

She was very respectful towards me. Even bowing her head when she greeted me. However, that did not mean that she was going to be lenient with me. The king told her to treat me like a normal worker and so she did. Mereneth directed me over to a small station, handed me a large knife and told me to get to work.

A surprisingly large amount of vegetables were placed before me. It was my job to wash, peel and chop them all. I'm quite surprised that Mereneth hadn't walked me through it. The last time she saw me I was small and averse to cooking. For all she knew I might not have changed. Her other tasks must have taken precedence and she had just enough trust in me that I wouldn't ruin the vegetables.

With the overly large knife in hand, I endeavoured to prove myself.

I made sure to rinse all the vegetables first. It's always good to be hygienic. Especially in a camp full of humans. Elves may have heightened immune systems but they did not. With them all this close in proximity, an illness would spread through them like wildfire. So I scrubbed at them with water that had been boiled at one point to purify it.

Nearly all the vegetables were recognisable and ones that I'd cooked with before. I was able to chop them quickly and efficiently. Aiming to avoid wasting too much of them. No point throwing away pieces that were still viable.

At one point Mereneth made her way back over to me. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw my progress. "Well done Princess" said Mereneth, astonished. "I am quite impressed. I will admit I hadn't been expecting much. Last time you graced my kitchen you were nearly in tears at the very mention of chopping"

I don't think I was that bad surely. "Well I've grown now. It turns out that I'm not too bad at it. I quite enjoy it actually"

A hint of a smile reached her eyes "We best not tell that to the King. This is supposed to be part of your punishment after all"

The only criticism that she had for me was that I was chopping them rather small. "They are going to be cooking for quite a while. If they're too small then they will boil down to nothing"

I took her advice on board and went about chopping up the rest.

The sun was quite high in the sky once I had finished with Mereneth. A type of flatbread had been baked using the fires and several cauldrons of soup were on the boil. I had tried to sneak a taste but Mereneth had clocked me and slapped my hand away. She then told me that there wasn't much more to be done and that I should see if anyone else required my help.

There was quite an influx of people making their way from the lake towards the camp. The majority of the evacuation was finally underway. Meaning that the Master's beloved treasure must have finally been moved. I wound my way through the masses trying to find Kili.

There was one particular man that stood out to me. He stood rather tall and had dark brown hair. He was being the most proactive. Leading and directing people to where they needed to go. His direction was helping to speed up the process. I had been seeing glimpses of him as I chopped.

When I found myself walking past him this time, I found him helping an elderly woman with her belongings. Shouldering what seemed to be some rather heavy bags. I had a sneaking suspicion that I knew the identity of this man. But before I had the chance to ask, he had trundled away with the woman in tow.

The crowds of people pouring in were getting quite hectic. There were a lot more people in Laketown than I had originally thought. Thankfully, there did seem to be enough shelter to go around. Though a few would have to share to fit everyone in. But surely in a community as closely packed as Laketown, they could find people they didn't mind bunking with.

It did make it a struggle to find Kili amongst the crowds though. So I employed my trusty Kili tracker. Following the bond between us. The golden rope was telling me that he lay directly through the biggest crush of people. Rather than plow straight through them I decided to skirt around the edge. I was drawing closer to the edge of camp, where the lake ended and the land began. After I rounded a tent I finally caught a glimpse of the elusive dwarf.

A Human handed him a hefty crate and he carried it to a designated area. Where there were others positioned to carry them elsewhere. A light sheen of sweat coated his forehead but other than that he didn't seem to be affected by it.

There was a sea of people in between us. All flowing in one direction. It made it a little difficult to reach him. However, I decided to persevere and hope that I didn't stand on anyone's toes. There were a few grumbles from people as I tried to seize the gaps. I quickly mumbled apologies and forged on. Before I knew it I was on the other side.

"Hello stranger" I said

Kili perked up when he heard my voice. He abandoned his crate in the designated area and made his way over to me.

"Leah" he said "It's good to see you"

"How is manual labour?"

"It _super_ fun" sarcasm leached into his voice. Then he shook his head. "But really it's not that bad. The crates aren't as heavy as they were this morning."

Kili placed his palms onto his lower back and leaned back. Stretching out the muscles.

He must have been talking about the Master's _personal _belongings (i.e all the gold in Laketown) as they had to be moved first. I dread to think how heavy some of those boxes were.

"How was cooking?"

"It was alright" I said with a smile "Cooking can be quite relaxing"

Kili shook his head "I can't believe you got cooking as your punishment. You love cooking"

"I know right" I laughed "But don't tell Ada. He is still under the impression that I hate it because I apparently hated it as a kid"

"Well your secret is safe with me"

Even though we were stood still, the hustle around us never ceased. They just soldiered on. I looked out at the families making their way into camp. There was an air of fear and uncertainty among them all. Having to uproot your whole family could do that to you. However, I could sense a definite feeling of hope too. Hope that this whole ordeal could change their lives for the better.

Most of the residents were quite thin. With sunken eyes and an exhausted aura around them. A lot of them did not have enough to eat most of the time. The Master of Laketown saw to that. To them, this could be the change they needed in their lives. With the threat of the dragon gone they could rebuild.

There was a woman in front of me struggling to carry all of her belongings. She had a young daughter, who couldn't be more than 5 years old, with a vice like grip on her skirts. An older girl, around 12, was carrying another child in her arms. The little girl was walking a bit too close and ended up under her mum's feet. The woman stumbled slightly. It made her lose the tentative grip she had on her bag. Clothes and other belongings tumbled out onto the floor.

The woman closed her eyes briefly and sighed. She looked like she was struggling not to shout. I made my way over to them in a bid to help.

"Dilly you need to get out from under my feet" the woman sighed "Hilda can you help please?"

"Would you like some help?" I said once I reached them.

Hilda, the older girl, turned to look at me. She gave me an appraising look for a second before deeming me 'safe'. Then she proceeded to hand the toddler in her arms over to me. I was shocked for a second before quickly bundling the child into my arms. They looked at me with jubilant curiosity.

"I didn't mean for you to palm your brother off on someone Hilda" said the woman, clearly exasperated. She was hastily putting all of her things back into her bag.

Hilda's cheeks heated up.

The woman turned towards me. "I'm so sorry, Mi lady"

"No, no it's perfectly fine" I said, bouncing the child in my arms. I did some weird faces that had the little boy laughing. "What's his name"

The woman placed the last thing into her bag and stood up. "This little one is Sven" she smiled at her son "He's 2 and a half and nothing but trouble"

I felt a tiny hand reach up to my ear. Sven tugged on it. I winced slightly as he pulled. With a gentle hand I pulled his away. He was staring up at my ear with wonder.

"Is pointy, is pointy" his tiny voice was so cute it made my heart melt.

"You're right it is" I smiled down at him "What about _your_ ears?"

Sven already knew where his own ears were. He covered them with both hands. Giving me a toothy grin while he did it.

"I'm Liriel" I introduced myself "But you can call me Leah if you like"

"Well, I'm Maggie." she said "Thank you, Liriel. And I'm sorry again for getting in your way"

My eyes drifted across the people making their way in. There were a few kids mixed in. They all seemed a bit antsy and were getting in the way of the adults. You couldn't really blame them as an evacuation was quite a big thing to handle. They were coping with it in different ways. Either way they seemed to be getting under a lot of peoples feet. What they really needed was their own space. Away from everyone else so that the adults could get things done. An idea formed in my head.

"I was just thinking that maybe we should gather up the children so that they aren't getting in the way" I explained "We could find them their own space so that they can play"

Maggie debated it for a few moments "That sounds like a good idea. I can get this done quicker without having to be constantly aware of three kids"

"There's a bit of open space near the tents over there" I pointed with my head. It was close to the trees and in good view. The children would be able to be seen at all times. No errant child wandering off. It also wasn't in the way of anyone or blocking a path. "We could set up over there"

"Perfect, thank you" said Maggie.

Maggie bid goodbye to her children. Not before making them promise to be good. The youngest girl seemed a little unsure and held onto her sister's hand.

"What are your names then?" I asked.

"I'm Hilda," she said with a nervous wave. "And this here is.."

"DILLY" She yelled before her sister could.

"That's a very pretty name. Like a Daffodil." I said "Maybe I could call you Daffodilly"

Dilly seemed very excited with her new nickname. She warmed up to me instantly. Her earlier uncertainty was quickly melting away.

Kili had been awkwardly standing behind us. I wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there. Despite that, I quickly wrangled him into my plans. He was a little resistant at first because technically he was still supposed to help move stuff. He didn't want to risk the wrath of Ada if he found him missing. I managed to convince him to babysit with me instead. We were still helping out after all. Ada couldn't say that we were lazing about.

Next came the task of gathering up the children. Hilda became a great help because she knew most of the people by name. They were more likely to trust her. We split up at one point and set out to gather as many kids as we could. Dilly and Sven stayed with me while Hilda and Kili went off on their own.

It rather surprised me how quickly people were to entrust me with their children. I don't know if it was because I was an elf or because I was carrying a very cute baby. Whatever the reason they were not suspicious of me at all. It's a good job I didn't have any nefarious plans.

"I feel like the pied piper" I muttered to myself as I led a group of children to the designated 'kid zone'.

We ended up with quite a sizable group of children to look after. Thankfully though, a lot of the younger ones had been accompanied by older siblings. They were helpful with keeping the peace and making sure no one wandered off.

Kili walked over with the last group of children. He was holding the hands of two toddlers as they trundled along. Helping them over the bumpy terrain. It was one of the cutest sights I had ever seen. My heart couldn't handle it. "I've got the last of the pebbles" he said.

"The fact that you call children pebbles is adorable" I said trying to contain my outpouring of love.

Kili answered me with a breathtaking smile.

Once everyone was here they all seemed to turn towards me with expectant eyes. They were looking at me for what to do next. I sort of set myself up for that one didn't I. It was me that had come up with this idea after all. I now needed to think further ahead.

I placed Sven on the ground. He was a little reluctant to leave my arms. HIs mouth downturned into an unhappy pout.

"Err how about we play a game?" I said.

Now what kind of game could you play with this many children? It needed to be something that they could all get involved with. Obviously some of the classic games like hide and seek were out. We didn't need children running off and getting into lord knows what.

An idea quickly formed in my mind. "Does anyone know where we can get a musical instrument? Like a fiddle or something"

There was a moment where everyone looked at each other. Then one of the older girls at the back raised her hand "My grandpa has a fiddle. He brought it with him"

"Great" I said "Do you think he would let you borrow it?"

The girl nodded and went off in search of her grandpa.

"Right have any of you ever played a game called musical statues?" I asked the crowd.

It was a long shot. After all, it was a children's game from Earth. Who knew if they had anything similar here. From the blank looks and shaking heads I'm going to guess that it didn't travel over.

"Well in musical statues you have to dance while music is playing. But when the music stops you have to stop moving" I demonstrated, standing stock still "You have to be as still as a statue. If you move then you are out. You play until there's only one person left and then they're the winner. If you lose then you become a watcher, so you can check if anyone else is moving"

"How does that sound?" I asked.

I saw excited faces from the younger ones and more curious faces from the older ones.

The girl came running back with her grandpa's fiddle. I handed it to Kili as he knew better than I how to use it. He played a few notes and seemed happy with it. I told him to play something happy and he obliged.

"Wait I don't know how to dance" asked one of the girls. She looked to be around 10. Her older sister stood behind her.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Tilda"

"Well Tilda you don't really need to _know_ how to dance. You can move about however you like. Wave your arms about if you want to" I encouraged.

"Why don't you show them a few moves Leah" I heard Kili pipe up from behind me.

When I turned I could see a mischievous smile on his face. He was mocking me and I knew it. I felt heat rise to my cheeks "I'm sure they'll all feel more confident if you showed them some examples"

I wanted to knock the smug look off his face. I can't believe that he was trying to get me to dance in front of everyone. He had said himself that I was awful at it.

"Yes that would be lovely" said Tilda's sister "Elves are supposed to be great dancers aren't they?"

Well you can just call me spider george. The ultimate Elven outlier.

I couldn't see a way out of this without disappointing everyone. Anyway these are all children they are less likely to judge me. Also, children tend to like you more when you willingly embarrass yourself in front of them. It makes you more approachable I guess.

"Fine" I conceded "I will show some dance moves if it will make you feel better. But just know that I am a terrible dancer"

I decided to start off with a classic. One that wasn't too out there so that it was easy for people to do.

"This one is called Saturday night fever. So you put one hand on your hip" I waited until everyone was copying. "Then take your other hand and point. Point to the ground first then point to the sky"

I saw them follow my instructions with sheer determination in their eyes. Most of the older siblings weren't joining in but they had amused faces.

"Then you repeat it" I pointed with conviction. "You can move your hips at the same time too"

I showed them a few other moves too. Any that I could remember really. I even tried to teach them to floss but it was a little harder to grasp. Anika would have laughed if she'd known that I was teaching a new generation to floss. Some of the children were really getting into it. They were laughing at their own silliness. A few of the older ones were helping some of the younger ones get the hang of it. Though there were a couple toddlers that weren't having any of it. Preferring to rip up grass instead. To each their own I guess.

Everyone was laughing now and I felt a little more confident. "Right I'm going to show you one more and it is the most impressive"

"Are you ready?" I saw several nods "I call this the flailing jellyfish"

I then proceeded to lean back as far as I could go. Then I rolled my body and flailed my arms below me. It completely captured the look of a dying fish. The perfect dance move if there ever was one.

I heard several people laughing. With Kili's guffaw amongst them. He was enjoying this too much.

I finally straightened myself up. Red tingeing my cheeks. "Right that's probably enough moves for now. How about we actually start?"

oOo

Musical statues was a hit. At one point we switched it up and played musical bumps. It was a little easier for the younger ones as well. There weren't any prizes that I could give out for the winners. Though they seemed happy enough just to win the games if I'm honest.

After everyone was sufficiently worn out I tried to keep their attention with stories. Most of them were very excited to hear new fairy tales. I imagine they didn't get to hear a new story very often. Sven remained diligently by my legs throughout the whole thing. I pulled him into my lap as I told them all the fairy tales I could remember from Earth. They were mostly Disney stories. Tangled was a particular favourite. Mainly because it was my favourite Disney movie and I put more effort into remembering the details. When I finished the story I realised that it hit quite close to home. A princess with heal-y magic is taken away from her parents and then finds her way back to them. You could just call me Rapunzel.

We must have been there for at least a couple of hours. Several parents began to make their way over to collect their children. They had managed to set up the tents they were staying in. Hopefully it had gone a little easier without the children in the way. They thanked me before they left. I waved enthusiastically to the children that went.

"You're quite good with children" I heard someone say. When I turned I saw that it was Tilda's older sister. She appeared to be my age. Well, my human age that is. 21ish rather than 40. "I'm Sigrid by the way"

"Oh thank you Sigrid. My friend taught me a few tricks" I said, thinking of Anika. Having such a large foster family meant that she learned quite a lot about how to handle kids. "She said that you shouldn't talk down to them and that you should always do something embarrassing. It works a treat"

Sigrid laughed "Yes I imagine that works quite well. Your dancing was particularly spectacular"

I covered my heart with my hand "Why, thank you"

There were only a few children left now. Most of the others had either been picked up or their older siblings had taken them back. Sven, Dilly and Hilda were amongst the ones that were still here.

"We should probably get these ones back to their parents. They might have gotten a bit caught up" said Sigrid

"Probably a good idea"

Sigrid looked towards her sister. Who was having a riveting conversation with Hilda. I heard mention of ice powers and magic fish. "I can probably take most of these back. I know their families."

"You don't have to do it on your own. We can help," said Kili.

"Oh thank you" she said

Kili made his way over to one of the toddlers. One of the little girls he had helped bring over. Kili held his hand out for her to take. "Shall we go find your Ma"

The little girl ignored Kili's hand and reached up towards him. Signifying that she wanted to be carried.

"I don't think you're gonna win that one" I said.

Kili shook his head and scooped the toddler into his arms. She laughed at the sudden movement. I felt a tugging on my leg. When I looked down I found Sven with an expectant look in his eyes. "Oh alright. I'll carry you too"

We gathered up the rest of the children and made our way towards the human's side of camp. Sigrid led the way with Kili in the middle. I brought up the rear with Sven, Hilda and Dilly in tow.

"Can you tell us more about the princess?" said Dilly

"Which one?" I had told at least three Disney princess stories

"All of them" Dilly exclaimed "I want to be a princess"

"You can't just become a princess Dilly you have to be born one" said Hilda, though not in a mean way.

Sven was just muttering to himself as we walked. Something about trees and the colour green.

A familiar voice cut across the camp and I found myself slowing down. Kili and Sigrid hadn't noticed and continued on without me. Hilda gave me an odd look. I didn't pay any mind to it as it was currently elsewhere.

It was Ada's voice that I'd heard. He did not sound pleased at all. I swung around until I could see which direction his voice was coming from.

My eyes caught sight of him to my left. He was surrounded by guards; both human and Elven. Everyone seemed to be standing straighter and on their guard. The look in Ada's eye suggested that he was not happy in the slightest. One part of me didn't want to interfere because I'd already angered him that day. However, another part of me was rather nosy and wanted to know what was going on. I inched my way forwards to get a better look. Making sure to keep Hilda and Dilly behind me.

"Woah, is that the elf King" I heard Hilda say. Her voice sounded amazed. "I've never met royalty before"

Well technically she had. I hadn't actually told anyone I was the princess. It never came up.

They were all standing in front of an enormous pile of crates. With more being added to the piles. A quite large, and frankly gross looking, man was arguing with Ada. His hair was thinning and pasted to his forehead. There were pock marks all over his face and his teeth were nightmare fuel. His human guards were stationed around him like some show of strength.

The Master of Laketown. It had to be.

"You can't just leave these here" The Master protested. "This treasure is from my private collection I will not have it anywhere near these..these filthy scroungers"

"Those 'filthy scroungers' as you so elegantly put it are your people Master Calamar" Ada's eyes were like fire "I suggest you spend less time worrying about your gold and more time trying to lead them"

"I will not be spoken to like this" The Master sputtered. "I want all of this treasure moved. Now."

Ada stood up straighter. Towering over the Master. "I assure you, Master Calamar, your treasure is safe in my people's hands. There is no time to move it now so here it will remain"

The Master cowered beneath Ada's gaze.

Someone shuffled by with a box in their hands. It was overladen with treasure. With some barely balanced on the top. They walked past where I was standing. As they passed I saw some contents topple off the top. Landing on the ground below. A golden cup and some kind of necklace. I rearranged Sven on my hip and reached down to pick the items up. Wanting to return them to the crate.

Just as my hand closed around the cup, another hand encircled my wrist. The stranger's grip was fierce and bruising. It caused me to drop the cup. I cried out as they yanked me upwards. "That's the Master's gold you grubby little thief"

The man was not that much taller than I was. His hair was dark and greasy. With eyebrows that met in the middle. His face was too close to mine and I could smell his awful breath. I heard Sven cry out in my arms.

I was about to push the man away from me when someone beat me to it. Several someones. Three Elven guards had come to my rescue. The man was grabbed by multiple hands and yanked away. Forced to the ground with his face in the mud. A foot was placed on his back and a blade at his throat.

I made gentle shushing sounds to try and calm a nervous Sven. Then I reached behind me to make sure that Hilda and Dilly were okay.

"If you touch the Princess again you will find yourself with no hands do you understand me?" said Gwaenir. Who had been one of the guards who'd helped.

" ?!" The man looked comically alarmed. His eyes zeroed in on my ears and an understanding dawned on his face.

"I suggest you apologise to my daughter unless you wish to lose your tongue" Ada spat through his teeth.

He had made his way over when he had heard the commotion. The master stood behind him looking very uneasy at the whole affair. He gave me a very strange look as if he didn't know what to think of me.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" The man bleated as the blade was brought closer to his neck.

The guards hefted him upright once he apologised. He looked very affronted by all the manhandling. He ripped his arms from the guards grasp and dusted himself off. A pointed glare was thrown in my direction.

The Master made his way over to him. "Come now Alfred it seems our company is no longer wanted" he patted Alfred on the back and turned him to walk in the opposite direction.

So this is the infamous Alfred. He was even more sleazy than I thought he'd be. The fact that he'd touched me made me want to gag. He was a weasel in human form. Deliberately making people suffer for the sake of the Master. I wish I had managed to get a swing in before the guards showed up.

I swear my ears caught the sound of a conspiratorial whisper between the two of them as they walked away. "This isn't over Alfred. Mark my words"

Ada glared at their backs as they left. Then his gaze turned towards me and it softened. "You have a penchant for attracting trouble it seems" Ada didn't sound angry which felt like a good start.

"Apparently so" I said offhandedly. I gave my arm a shake to try and get the blood to flow back into it.

"Who is this then?" Ada reached a hand out and poked Sven in the cheek. Sven let out a little giggle.

"This is Sven" then i pointed behind me "This is Hilda and this is.."

"DAFFODILLY" Shouted Dilly, then in a smaller voice "It's Daffodilly now"

"I see" said Ada, an amused smile was creeping onto his face.

"I've been babysitting" I supplied.

"I heard. I also heard about your impromptu dancing lessons. Though they told me it was more wild gesticulating than dancing." There was definite humour in his eyes now.

I felt my cheeks heat up. Who blabbed?

Ada looked towards Sven once more, a reminiscent look in his eye. "I remember when you were this small. You actually listened to me then."

"I don't believe that for a second" I said with a grin.

Ada smiled back "Maybe so"

However, Ada's smile guttered out when he saw something over my shoulder. He strode quickly towards whatever had upset him. I spun around to see what it was.

"What are you doing you stupid man do you want to blow us all up?" Ada shouted.

A man was carrying a small barrel. It's lid was cracked open at the top. A dark black substance was leaking down the side. Dripping onto the ground below. The man was walking dangerously close to one of the many torches dotted around the camp.

"Do you know how flammable this oil is?" Ada said "One spark and you'll send the whole place up"

I decided to leave Ada to it. It seemed like he had everything under control. I urged Hilda and Dilly to start moving again. Sigrid and Kili were gone from sight now so i had to try and find my own way there.

"Are you really a Princess?" Dilly's face was one of wonder.

I smiled down at her and nodded.

oOo

Eventually we found our way to their mum. She had set up their tent and got everything sorted by time we got there. They were happy to be reunited with their mum. Dilly started to tell her all the stories she had learned today and Maggie was struggling to keep up. I gave Sven one last cuddle before relinquishing him.

I then set out to try and find at least one person I knew. Wandering around the tents, keeping my eyes peeled. I smiled and waved at a few of the children who recognised me. It was a little weird to be around humans again. I hadn't seen one since we'd left Bree. To spend-what I thought was-my whole life around humans and then to suddenly hardly see them was just plain odd.

Mum was the first person I found. She was talking with the tall dark haired man I'd seen earlier. When I came closer I realised that they were talking about handing out supplies to all the families. Everyone needed blankets and water. It was things that, realistically, she should have been talking to the Master of Laketown about. But as we all know he was fucking useless. So Mum had found a better leader in his stead.

"Oh Leah" Mum saw me and waved me over "Let me introduce you. This is Bard"

My instincts had been correct. The man I had seen helping everyone was in fact Bard. I held my hand out for him to shake. He took it graciously. "Hello Bard"

"This is my daughter, Liriel" said Mum.

"So you are the one my daughters have been speaking about. It is nice to meet you your highness" said Bard

Daughters? Oh wait Bard's daughters were Tilda and Sigrid weren't they. I'm surprised I didn't clock that earlier.

I heard someone begin to approach us from behind. When I turned I saw an Elf. She curtsied before my Mum "My Queen, Mereneth has requested your assistance"

"Yes, of course I'll be there in a moment" said Mum, she turned back to us. "I will have to find you later, I'm sorry."

She bid both of us a quick goodbye and followed in the direction of the kitchens.

Bard turned towards me with his eyebrows drawn together. A curious look in his eye. "I admit that I was quite surprised when they told me that Lord Thranduil _and_ his wife were leading an evacuation. I was lead to believe that his wife perished a long time ago"

"She did"

"And I was under the impression that elves do not remarry"

"They do not"

"But that was definitely his wife that I was just speaking to" Bard pointed in the direction that Mum just left "How can that be?"

"It's a long story" I sighed "Mum and I _were_ killed. By orcs. Over 1500 years ago."

Bard's eyes widened and he didn't look like he believed me.

"Through some weird twist of events our souls didn't go where they were supposed to go. They were sent somewhere else. We managed to find our way back here"

A sadness creeped into Bard's eyes. "I assume this is a feat only accomplished by elves?" He shook his head and sighed "If only men could do the same"

I realised then that he was probably thinking about his wife. "I'm sorry"

"Don't be"

Bard looked around at his people. Watched as they flitted by. Setting up tents and helping their families. The air was tense yet excited.

"I don't like this" he said "They should not be tempting fate by going anywhere near that dragon. It will bring only fire and ruin"

"They're evacuating everyone so that they don't get hurt" I added.

Bard looked back to me. "Even so, dragons are clever. There is not enough time to move everyone away from Smaug's sight. He will no doubt still find them."

"It's better than the alternative. At least right now they have a chance" I said "I've seen what would have happened if the people of Laketown weren't evacuated."

"You're a seer" Bard gasped.

"Of a sort" I admitted "Before your people didn't have a chance. If the dwarves weren't here then it would have been an army of orcs setting upon the mountain. Then Smaug would have ripped through Laketown raining fire and destruction. It's only you that would have been able to stop him"

Bard raked his hands through his hair "The Queen has already informed me. She said that it has to be me to fell the beast." he closed his eyes "But I don't know if I can do it"

I could see the struggle he was facing. The uncertainty in his eyes. Being told that you are your people's only hope must be terrifying. If he refused to do it then he could be dooming his people. But if he did do it there was a chance he could end up making his children orphans. They weren't good options to be confronted with.

"I think you're the only one who can" I whispered "The black arrow was passed down through your family and it was your ancestor that injured Smaug originally. In all the futures I've seen it was you that kills Smaug. Fate has already played its hand and placed you in the middle of all of this"

Okay technically I've only seen one future but I think Bard would always be the one to kill Smaug. Destiny always seemed to rear its head like that.

Bard no longer looked surprised by the knowledge I had about him. Instead he seemed to accept it more readily. "I was afraid you would say something like that"

"We have until the sun goes down to prepare" I informed him. We definitely couldn't have him backing out now. Not when all these people were depending on him.

"I will do it, your highness" He said, standing straighter "If I am the only thing standing in defence of these people then I cannot back down. Even if my life may be forfeit in doing so"

He looked every bit a leader as he stood there. Tall and Proud. Willing to lay his life on the line for the people his cares about

"Your a good man Bard" I said "And a good leader. You care about your people. It should be you leading them and not that greedy bastard"

Bard laughed at my comment "You must have been listening to all the gossip"

"I didn't need to. I can see it for myself"


	36. Burned but not buried

The plan was simple.

Actually scratch that. You can't really call a plan that involves killing a literal dragon simple. What I meant to say was that the plan didn't have too many moving parts. We didn't want to over-complicate anything with a plan that was too intricate and complex. It would only lead to failure if one part of the plan didn't work.

The plan involved a lot of fire and flammable material. Which I did find odd considering that we were supposed to be fighting the living embodiment of fire.

All around the mountain side the elves had set up large bonfires. They had doused them in oil. (The type that Ada had scolded that man for nearly dropping). The oil was very quick to ignite and could cause a blazing fire in seconds. A fire that would be used to distract Smaug when he emerged from the mountain. Ada had told me that because Fire drakes were formed from fire they had an affinity towards it. It drew them in. So a roaring fire would draw Smaug in to where we wanted him.

Ada had also spiked the pyres with more Deliosp. That way Smaug wouldn't have the chance to catch our scent on the breeze. The heedy, cloying smell of the herb would hopefully be enough to confuse the dragon.

There were bonfires set up around the front of the mountain. Ada had told everyone that they were to be lit sequentially. One after the other. Like a crumb trail for Smaug to follow. They were all leading to a podium, of sorts, that the elves had quickly constructed. On top of it stood an immense crossbow. One powerful enough to destroy buildings. It would hopefully be enough to destroy a dragon.

So the flames would lead Smaug to Bard. Positioning him so that the final arrow could be struck.

It sounded so easy when you said it like that.

However, reality was never so simple was it. After all, Smaug was a sentient creature not just some animal. We were hoping that he would follow the bonfires, like a cat with a laser pen. But we couldn't really be sure what he would do. We could only hope.

When the sun was beginning to wane, the plan started to swing into motion. All of the evacuated townspeople were moved under the cover of the trees. They were moved deeper into the forest until they were well clear of the tree line. The canopy would be used to shield their presence away from Smaug.

Fires were also snuffed out all through camp. A light smoke rose through the air accompanied by the hissing of water on flame. We had to shroud ourselves in the shadows so that Smaug would not be able to see us in the darkness. If he could see the light from our torches he would be able to find where we all were. That meant that we had to give up our light source and hold tight in the darkness. Not foreboding at all.

Losing our fires came with other problems too. Today was Durin's day. The last day of Autumn. Winter was slowly clawing its cold hands into the surrounding wilderness. Hand numbing winds would bluster through the trees. The mist of everyone's breath hung in the frigid air. The loss of the warm fires was quite a blow to the people of Laketown. Humans weren't as hardy as elves or dwarves. The cold could be detrimental. Some of the poorer people didn't even have adequate clothing for winter. No gloves or hats to cover their extremities. It left them vulnerable.

In a bid to protect these people Mum and Bard had been giving out blankets to everyone. They also told them that they needed to stay close together for warmth. Some of the men tried to scoff at the idea of huddling with someone else. However, Mum straight up told them to stop being children. Would you rather hug someone or be dead? It's your choice.

I looked up at the sky. A deep orange glow was illuminated within it. Mixed with subtle reds and a wash of blue. Like an artist's canvas. It would have been beautiful any other day. Now it only sent a sick feeling of dread.

The darker the sky became, the more panic would flow through me. My stomach twisted painfully with my growing anxiety.

A hand found mine and squeezed. The pressure drew my eyes away from the sky and towards the person next to me. He must have noticed my heart beat picking up. Kili gave me a soft smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He was also worried. The fact that his brother was separated from him, about to face the full force of a dragon, wasn't helping his anxiety either.

"We are going to be okay Leah" He said. As if trying to convince himself too.

I took a deep breath and tried to steady myself. "We can do this"

My hand squeezed Kili's hard as I aimed to get a handle on my emotions. Kili didn't seem bothered though. I wasn't hurting him or anything.

My armour was back on. As was Kili's chain mail shirt. Not sure what it would do against a dragon but I felt better with it on. I was willing to take any added protection at this point. It was an extra barrier from the elements.

We were standing on the edge of the tree line. Ada had wanted me to be with all the other evacuees. Safe under the confines of the canopies. Somehow I managed to convince him to let me stay nearer to the edge. I told him that I wanted to be with our people. That I felt safer with them.

It was partly true. After being grabbed by Alfred earlier I didn't want to be anywhere near him. I had a feeling that if he saw me again he would only antagonise me more. But that wasn't the real reason that I refused to stay in the forest. It was just the idea of standing amongst the trees in total darkness sent a wave of panic through me. Swallowed up by shadow, not knowing what was happening, while danger lay close by. Every time I thought about it, memories would spring up unbidden. Running through a dark forest, trying to flee a different danger. My breath would catch in my throat and I would have to quickly try to control my breathing.

I couldn't do it.

I needed to be able to see what was happening. Even if what I saw was horrific or nightmarish. Being able to see it made me feel like I had some semblance of control. Even if I essentially had none.

The snow capped mountain lay before us. Standing stoic and stable. No indication of what danger lay within.

Ada was somewhere nearer to the front of the camp. He was a leader. Guiding everyone in their tasks. The elves assigned with lighting the flames were already in position. Hidden amongst the boulders and ruins around the mountain. They wouldn't be standing right next to the bonfires either. If they were then they would be easy prey once Smaug turned towards them. Instead there would be a line of oil that led to the pyres. Like a line of gunpowder. They would be lit from a distance. It would hopefully give them time to find cover.

Bard had taken his place on the newly constructed podium. I could make out his silhouette in the dying light. He was pacing. Walking around the small plateau at the top of the platform. It could have been a form of preparation. Getting used to his surroundings. Or it may have been a way to work off some of his nerves. If I was up there it would probably be the latter. And I wouldn't be pacing, I would be halfway through a huge panic attack.

Mum had wanted to be close to us when the attack finally took place. However, she had other tasks she had to attend to first. She was in charge of the healers. Should anything befall anyone they needed to be the first responders. If they were quick enough then there hopefully wouldn't be any casualties.

Legolas was with the elven guard. They were all armed with the strongest arrows in their arsenal. If it came to blows they would have to fire upon Smaug. Though I knew that none of them would be strong enough to pierce Smaug's hide. The elves didn't have any spare Black arrows hidden away, unfortunately. If anything they were to be used as a distraction.

So it just left Kili and I on our own together. Everyone else in my family had an important task to do and I was left to stand here. I would have been more useful as a statue really. It left me feeling antsy and restless.

Everything was in place. Now all that was left was to wait. It was its own form of torture.

oOo

When the sun finally disappeared-sending us into darkness-it felt a dreaded sense of finality. This was it. Whatever happens now will decide the fate for a lot of lives. Had we managed to save them or were they still doomed to die.

My breath caught in my throat as the first beams of moonlight streaked across the mountain. The last light of Durin's day. The hidden door would be found at any moment. Bilbo was going to enter first. He was the one most likely to disarm Smaug. As the dragon had never smelled a Hobbit before. If the dwarves all entered at once, Smaug would probably recognise their scent and start attacking. They needed Bilbo to distract Smaug before they could coerce him outside.

Hopefully, Bilbo could find the Arkenstone too. It would make things easier if that jewel was out of Thorin's hands.

Silence hung through the air. It was like everyone was waiting with bated breath. Trying to hear any hint of what was going on in the mountain. I don't know how long I stood there, waiting in the cold and shadow. A slight tremor was shaking through my hands.

The earth beneath our feet trembled. Its power emanating from the mountain itself. A distant sound of stone hitting stone floated through the air. Crashing and grinding. To be able to hear it from this distance was testament to Smaug's strength. What kind of destruction was he wreaking? Was the company okay?

Kili's hand tightened around mine and I heard him make a pained noise.

"They're okay Kili. They'll be okay" I breathed, barely above a whisper.

Even though I didn't really need to whisper. Smaug's hearing wasn't that strong to hear me through a mountain. But at the same time I couldn't will my voice to be any louder. Anything above a whisper was just inviting danger.

"I came back to save them" Said Kili in a pained breath "Now I'm here and I can't help"

My heart went out to him. It felt like it was my fault that he was here with me and not with his family. If he wasn't bound to me he would have been able to stand with his brother. Fighting alongside him.

Then again, if he wasn't bound to me he wouldn't be _here_ at all. Life was complicated.

A violent explosion of rock, dust and fire reverberated through the night. One second there was only smooth rock and the next there was a gaping chasm. Parts of the dwarven gate were launched into the air. Crashing into the ground. The earth shook with the might of it.

A guttural roar sent a tremble of fear right to the marrow of my bones. A fear so intrinsic and instinctual.

For a second my mind refused to comprehend what it was seeing. The sheer _size _of Smaug was nearly unfathomable. Whenever I had imagined this moment I had thought that I understood just how massive he was. But imagining and seeing were two completely different things.

With his wings spread, he blocked off a decent amount of the mountain from view. He flapped his wings and twisted upwards. Launching himself like an arrow into the air. A golden sheen coated his skin, flying off him as he spun. His belly glowed a menacing red-like the embers of a flame-before a torrent of fire was spewed from his maw.

A part of me felt like I could feel the heat of it from here. But that may have been my mind playing tricks on me.

"I AM FIRE. I AM DEATH"

Even from down here Smaug's voice was thunderous. You could feel it in your bones. It tore through you.

My fear became alive, wild and thrashing against me, as Smaug turned his eye towards us.

The first pyre was ablaze within seconds. A roaring pillar of fire set into the stone. Smaug's eye was immediately drawn towards it. Like a moth to a flame. His body twisted in the air, strangely fluid and serpentine. He turned to face the bonfire. His wings moved with great, turbulent strokes. Keeping him upright and hovering where he wanted them to be. The force of them created immense winds. It sent the fire twisting upwards like a fiery tornado.

Smaug hit back with flames of his own. Casting an ominous glow against the side of the mountain.

A second pyre lit up further down the mountain. The sickly sweet scent of Deliosp was building in the air as the herbs burned. An enraged growl shot from Smaug as he beheld the new bonfire.

"You foolish men" he bellowed "You think you can play games with me"

A line of fire burned between the two pyres. Scorching anything it hit. A panic rose within me when I thought of the elves who were up there. Had they found relative safety? Were they hidden from his flames?

My ears caught the sound of some kind of stirring behind me. Of movement and indecipherable talking. I had a vague sense that someone was arguing. The humans were probably reacting to the sonorous noise that Smaug was creating. Maybe someone was telling someone else to be quiet, I couldn't be sure. Was now really the time, though?

I cast my mind away from the forest and drew my focus towards the bigger problem at hand.

Smaug's anger was building. More fires were lit across the valley floor. Leading Smaug away, making his body contort in order to attack them. He turned towards the new flames and directed his ire towards them. Only a few more and Smaug would be facing Bard.

I let out a juddery breath. It was working.

I could no longer see Bards shadow through the darkness. He must have been lining up the shot. Smaug was so close he just needed to-

The ground rocked beneath my feet. A tremor emanated from somewhere infinitely closer than where smaug was. A cacophony of screams erupted from behind me. Screams of terror and pain and panic. All coming from within the forest.

My stomach was in my throat as I spun towards the trees. I expected to stare into the darkness. My eyes should have had to adjust to see anything through the forest. But they didn't need to. Instead I could now see fierce, angry light coming from within. A choking smoke coelesed around me. Making my eyes water.

Ada had ordered all fires to be put out. There shouldn't have been anything there. Except now, in the distance, there was a towering inferno punching it's way through the air. Burning through the trees. I could just make out the people surrounding it. The flames illuminated their backs as they tried to run away.

What is happening? How could this have happened?

Commands flew through the air to quench the flames. Demanding answers. My feet were frozen to the ground as I looked on. At the blaze now climbing the trunks of the trees. The fire rose up with a whoosh. Clawing out above the canopy.

It was a new beacon. Another bonfire for Smaug to follow.

"Ah. _There_ you are" Smaug's voice rang through the air. Triumphant.

I turned just in time to see Smaug change course. He had been so close. So close to where Bard could have made the fatal shot. Instead his malicious eye had now been turned to us. He rose high into the air. Gathering momentum. Then once he had reached a precipice he barrelled down towards us. Flames leaking from his gaping jaw.

I had just enough sense to dive out of the way. Kili came along with me. We scrambled to the right as Smaug flew past us on our left. He created a line of destruction not 100 metres from where we were. Fire burned across the tops of the trees. The heat I felt this time was not just some figment of my imagination. It was immense and overwhelming. The air thinned as the surrounding fires soaked up the oxygen.

Pandemonium was happening around us. Everyone was running. The commands of an army were mixed in with the screams of the wounded and scared. A hail of arrows shot out at the dragon. Bouncing uselessly from his thick hide.

He flew out away from the camp. A nauseating laugh boomed out of his mouth. He wasn't rushing back either he was flying at a sedate pace. Taking his time. Enjoying the moment. He was toying with us.

My mind was racing at mile a minute. What could we do?

Bard was nowhere near us. He couldn't aim a killing blow from where he was. Something would have to bring Smaug back towards him.

But what?

What could distract Smaug enough to leave the destruction he was bringing? There were no more beacons that would work now that Smaug had found us.

Unless-

I peered down at my shaking hands. Smaug can detect magic. He could sense the power of the ring from Bilbo. He was attracted to it. Perhaps if he could observe enough magic it may be able to distract him. If I could get to Bard then maybe my magic would be a powerful enough beacon.

I couldn't see any other choice.

"Kili I need to get to Bard!" I shouted to him over the roar of the flames.

"What..Why?" The words sounded strangled.

Smaug was beginning to bank. Elegantly curving to make his way back towards us.

"I need to distract Smaug" I let a little light seep into my hands to hammer in my point.

Kili looked at my hands with dawning terror. He shook his head "No no Leah, please. Not you"

Smaug had fully turned around now. His belly started to glow with that sickening orange colour. He was readying his fire.

I cupped Kili's face, drinking in all of his features. Then I crushed my lips to his. It lasted barely a second but I poured as much of my feelings into it as possible.

"It has to be me" I said, a cry in my voice. "I love you"

I didn't give him a chance to reply. Pushing away from him and running in the direction of Bard's platform. I couldn't afford to waste anymore time. My name rang through the air as Kili called out after me.

A horse was tied to a post. It was rearing, trying to get away, but it was stuck fast. My sword was in my hand in an instant and I cut through the tethers. Then in a motion that even surprised me, I flung myself onto its back and urged it to run. The horse was more than happy to comply. Racing away from the flames. It took a little strength to guide the horse where I needed it to go but eventually it did.

Tears leaked from my eyes as I forced the horse to run faster. I'd just left Kili in the eye of the storm. Left him crying my name. Sickness twisted in my gut. A cry threatened to escape. What was I doing?

In my certainty that it had to be me, I had forgotten it wasn't only my life I was risking. If Smaug killed me then I'd be sentencing Kili to death too.

I shook my head. Tears glancing down my cheeks. No, this had to work. It had to be me. I couldn't see how we would make it out of this otherwise.

Guilt still dug its claws in as I thought of the fact that I had abandoned him.

Smaug was back over the camp now. A new line of fire emerged through the centre of it.

The platform rose up above me. With the help of the horse I had made it in a short amount of time. I jumped from the horse and ran over to the ladders. My shaking limbs refused to cooperate at first and I stumbled against the rungs. Through sheer desperation I managed to race to the top of them. My foot only slipped one but I caught it in time.

I climbed out onto the top of the platform. Bard stood on top of it. His skin was deathly pale and he sent a panicked gaze in my direction.

"What happened!?" he exclaimed, tears in his eyes.

"No time" I huffed as I ran towards the front of the platform. I needed to do this now. "You need to close your eyes"

I didn't check to see if he had followed my instructions. Instead I raised my hands well above my head. Magic pooled into them with astonishing speed. I urged it to be brighter, stronger. Like when I was creating the pool of light to get us through Mirkwood. But instead of controlling how far my light spread, I let it go. Engulfing the platform in a swirl of light.

My eyes squeezed shut against the assaulting light. The thunder of two heartbeats pounded through my ears. There was a little shake to my breath but that was more from panic than exertion. Creating light didn't take as much out of me as healing or exploding things did.

"Come on you bastard" I spat through my teeth

The sound of roaring stopped as soon as my light illuminated the sky. I couldn't see through the bright white radiating from my hands.

A sound crashed from somewhere in front of me. The ground shuddered beneath a mighty body. The shock of it made my light stutter. A gasp fell out of me when I finally beheld the sheer force of Smaug. Seeing him from a distance was bad enough. Now with his focus squared solely on me, I felt what true terror was.

My light withered away when I saw his malevolent gaze. He was captivated.

Everything in my body told me that I needed to flee. I needed to _get out. Get away. _I wasn't even sure I was breathing.

Smaug tilted his head to the side. Assessing me. Trying to see me better

"Well would you look at this" Smaug taunted. His clawed wings grabbed the earth. He edged himself closer. "A little girl out of her time"

What did he mean by 'out of her time'?

I was frozen. Cemented to the ground. I hoped that Bard was aiming his arrow but I honestly couldn't hear anything else. My mind could only see and hear Smaug. Nothing else got in.

"A mere candle against the night. The darkness has already tried to snuff you out once before. They couldn't let your power grow" Smaug was getting closer. The heat from his body was beginning to reach me.

Was he talking about the orcs that killed me?

"They succeeded the first time. Cutting you down like you were nothing." He tilted his head once more. "Yet _here_ you stand"

A strangled cry escaped me that I couldn't squash down. I tried to find my voice. To say anything to get him to stop talking. But no words would come.

"I could leave you to the orcs." he said "Their armies march ever closer. They would relish in your second demise"

He seemed to be pondering it for a moment. Then his mouth split open in a sickening facsimile of a smile. "But I don't think I will"

The smoldering golden light bubbled deep in Smaug's body. A fire roared beneath the surface of Smaug's throat. He reared up, ready to make the final blow. I scrambled back but I wouldn't have time to get away.

The sound of a crossbow rang through the air. An arrow shot out, quicker than the eye could even see. Before Smaug could fully rear up, it found its mark. Burying itself deep into his neck.

An unearthly screech rocked through the air. So loud it could make your ears bleed. Smaug stumbled back. Blood and acid poured out of the wound. It made macabre hissing sounds as it left his body.

With one final, desperate move Smaug launched himself into the sky. Clawing at the air like a drowned animal. His movements were erratic and uncalculated. Gone was the fluid elegance he had before.

He flew directly over top of us. We had to duck down so his huge torso didn't hit us. The heat coming from his body almost burned the air. I felt Bard's hand on my shoulder as he held us to the ground. For one horrifying moment it felt like I was suffocating. Like all the air had been sucked away.

It felt like forever but it was only a matter of seconds. Smaug's body cleared our platform. I thought we were safe.

I lifted my head just in time to see Smaug's tail crashing down onto us. The platform disintegrated under the force of it. As if it was nothing more than a sandcastle. The wood beneath my body splintered on impact. Collapsing under the immense weight.

I barely had the chance to scream as my body was swallowed by the air.

Crashing towards the unrelenting ground far below.

**Leah has a real habit of falling to her death doesn't she. You'd think she'd be used to it by now.**

**I've been really hesitant to write this chapter. For a long time I had no idea which direction it was going to go. I wanted Leah to be involved somehow but I also needed the elves to have their own plan. I came up with this while I was in the shower and decided to just roll with it. Hopefully you think it's at least plausible. If not I understand.**

**What do you think started the fire in camp?**


	37. I'll keep you safe

The world was a blur

Bard fell away from me. His nails tried to grip my armour but he was no match for gravity. It dragged us down like a vengeful death god trying to pull us into hell.

There were screams.

It could have been me. It could have been the wind whistling past my ears as I plummeted.

My hands clamoured wildly. Seeking any handhold. Any semblance of safety.

There was no safety to be found. Instead all I received was intense pain. A wooden beam collided with me in mid air. Crashing into my arm and splintering against my head. Fire exploded against my temple. I didn't even have time to cry out.

My vision went black. Time lost all meaning

I couldn't see the moment that I crashed into the ground. But I certainly felt it. Even in my half unconscious state I could feel it.

The shock of landing must have overloaded my brain. For one agonising moment I was fully awake again. All I could feel was agony. I couldn't see as my vision was overtaken by white and black spots. The pain was all encompassing and I couldn't breathe. Couldn't get my muscles to move. It felt like the world was spinning and my mind was too disorientated to keep up.

The rest of the tower fell around me. Burying me in it's ruins. It felt like I was being buried in a grave of my own making.

I was only conscious for a few more seconds before the darkness swallowed me up.

* * *

Everything was black and cold-and thick. Like my mind was swimming. Trying to find the surface.

Where was I?

What was happening?

Whenever I felt like I was close to the surface an intense pain would envelope me. I would shy away from it and my mind would grow dark once more.

"Leah"

"Liriel"

I could hear something. But it was like a breath against my ears. It slipped away before I could focus on it again.

I was floating.

All at once the darkness was broken by a pulse of golden light. Like a beacon.

I could feel.

It wasn't the pain of consciousness. But a soft caress. Of someone reaching out. Touching my very essence; my very soul. The sensation would have made me gasp if I was fully conscious.

Another flash of gold. I felt it once more.

It was like a hand in the dark, pulling me out. It drew me closer to the surface. A cry bubbled up as the pain awakened once more. Like someone had taken a white hot poker and rammed it into the side of my head.

"LIRIEL"

My body was lead.

So heavy.

A crushing weight lay on me. I could barely breathe.

I cried out again as something shifted above me. Jostling my wounds.

One moment I was suffocating under great pressure and the next it was gone.

"I'm here Liriel. I've got you."

Something reached out, grasping my weakened body. Lifting me up. I let out another whimper at the movement.

"I've got you"

My head lolled back against something. Consciousness losing out once again.

* * *

Awareness trickled in slowly.

The first thing that I noticed was that I was no longer in pain. My mind didn't rebel when I drew myself closer to the surface. No more did agony threaten to pull me back under. Instead I felt the darkness thinning. Parting like a thick curtain.

I could feel my body. My limbs no longer felt like they were lead weights. The burning pain in my temple had all but vanished. Only a dull ache and a strange numbness remained. My heart beat steadily against my chest. A stark contrast to the other pulse I could feel alongside it. Beating like a butterfly's wing.

The second thing I noticed was a hand in my hair. Gently gliding through the strands. A soft voice accompanied it.

_I'll keep you safe_

_Try hard to concentrate_

_Hold out your hand_

_Can you feel the weight of it_

Mum's voice was barely above a whisper as she sang. Thick with emotion. The sound of it roused me further.

_The whole world at your fingertips_

_Don't be, don't be afraid_

_Our mistakes they were bound to be made_

_But I promise you I'll keep you safe_

My eyelids refused to listen to me at first. It took a few tries before they opened fully. Mum's face hovered closely above mine. Blurry at first but she quickly swam into focus. There were tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. When she saw my eyes open, she visibly sagged in relief. Tension left her body

"Oh Leah," she gasped "You're okay"

Mum hooked one arm under my head and the other around my shoulder. She lifted me up and hugged me to her. Cradling my head against her chest. Her gentle heart beat was a comfort. I just let myself be held.

There was a slight tremor in her hands as she held me. A quiet sniff was the only indicator that Mum was crying.

I managed to get myself into a seated position without too much effort. Mum held one of my shoulders to support me but I didn't really need it.

It was still dark and the only light was coming from a couple of lanterns. I mustn't have been out cold for that long then if the sun hadn't risen yet. Looking around, I could see that I was in a tent of some kind. It was small and definitely not the tent I had slept in the previous day. Boxes of supplies were scattered across the ground. Most looked like they were thrown in here in a rush. One crate had tipped on its side with it's lid half open. The contents threatening to spill out.

I could detect the thick scent of smoke in the air. Taste a hint of ash on my tongue.

"Smaug" I started. My throat was dry and my voice cracked "What happened?"

My head twinged as I tried to remember. My hand covered my temple to stifle the ache.

I remembered Smaug leaving the mountain, following the pyres. Then I remembered screams and fire. Smaug had turned his flames towards us but I couldn't understand why.

"Don't push yourself too much, darling. You've only just come to" Mum paused before saying "You've been through quite an ordeal"

My mind thought back to the pain I had been feeling before. There was a reason for it but I couldn't quite remember how it had happened. It was like trying to grasp a shadow.

I looked down at my limbs, surprised to see that they were all in working order. They weren't black and blue or broken. I had a distinct feeling that I'd felt something snap before. But I saw no mention of that now.

A strange feeling of vertigo rushed through me as the memory of falling was suddenly pushed to the front of my mind. The terrible feeling of helplessness. The air that swallowed me up.

"I..I fell?" I asked, unsure.

Mum nodded solemnly. "You somehow made it to Bard and used your power to distract Smaug."

The memory resurfaced as she said it. The brightness of the light from my hands. The horror I felt under the eye of that dragon.

"Bard's arrow struck true but Smaug managed to destroy the platform you were on in an attempt to flee" A cry caught in Mum's throat "Your Adar found you buried beneath the rubble"

"Ada found me?"

Mum nodded.

There had been a voice. As I moved in and out of consciousness. It must have been him trying to search for me.

He must have found me bleeding and bruised. I wasn't even conscious. Oh god he was the last person I wanted to see me like that. What must have been going through his head when he found me? The last time he had seen me in such a state I had died in his arms. He'd probably thought that he had lost me again.

"When I saw you in your Adar's arms, for a horrifying moment, I thought you were gone" Mum's voice cracked. A hand covered her mouth. "My mind didn't even think about the fact that Kili was still here. All I could see was you lying lifeless and covered in blood"

I felt the sting of tears build up at the corner of my eyes. The fact that I'd caused Mum such pain hurt.

"I'm sorry" my voice was thick.

Mum gave me a watery smile. Before capturing me in another hug. "Oh Leah you don't need to be sorry. It wasn't your fault"

I mean technically it was. If I wasn't nearly buried alive then she wouldn't be in tears right now. But I could also see what she meant. It was Smaug that caused all the destruction after all. It wasn't my fault that the tower was destroyed.

Mum leaned back once more. Her hands cradled my face and wiped an errant tear. "You saved us Leah. Without you I dread to think about what further destruction there could have been. How many more lives lost"

People had died then.

I mean of course they did. There would have had to have been a thousand miracles at play for everyone to have made it out of that mess.

Even so, hearing it felt like a blow.

"How bad was it?"

"If it weren't for the skilled healers it would have been a lot worse. We were able to get to most of the injured before they succumbed to their wounds. And most had managed to evade Smaug's fire. The trees were able to mask them from sight so Smaug was effectively firing blind." Mum sighed deeply "We lost around 70 humans and 3 of our own"

Out of the thousands that this camp was holding it was quite a small number. Yet their deaths still felt like a mighty blow. Even if it was a small number of casualties, they shouldn't have happened at all. We had changed things to save everyone. No one should have been hurt. No one should have _died_.

They wouldn't have died if there hadn't been a fire blazing in the middle of the camp.

"I saw a fire. In camp. It's what turned Smaug towards us. How did that even happen? All of the torches were put out" An anger was building in my voice as I spoke. I just didn't understand.

Mum's expression closed off and her jaw tightened. A look of pure rage glistened in her eyes. "That" Mum spat "Would be the Master of Laketown"

The Master?

What had that bastard done?

"He and your Adar had been at odds all of yesterday. About his _stupid_ gold. He didn't care at all about his people only about what he saw as his. He refused to have his gold 'out in the open for all to steal' and tried to demand us to move it. We ignored him. There were more important tasks at hand. We didn't have time to mess about with that treasure any longer. It had already cost us precious evacuation time.

"The Master left and we thought that was the last of it. But it wasn't.

"He came back when night had fallen with a group of men that were loyal to him. They had lanterns and torches even though we had told everyone of the danger. He was going to use Smaug's attack as a cover while he stole the treasure. He was going to steal all of his people's gold and run away, like the coward he was.

"But he had forgotten that your Adar had stationed guards around the treasure. There was a fight and the Master would have surely lost. But someone had left a barrel of oil close by. Sometime during the fight it must have been knocked over and one of the Master's torches had set it alight. The entire surrounding area went up instantly"

A sick, seething anger curled in my gut. My hands curled into tight fists. The nails bit into my palms.

It was all his fault.

The reason that anyone was hurt was because of the Master and his greed. I remembered in the films that the Master had tried to abscond with the treasure when Smaug attacked. But I thought that was because it was going to be destroyed. Yet even when the treasure was safe it still wasn't enough. He still wanted to take it all for himself.

If it wasn't for him no one would have died. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have had to climb up that god forsaken tower and face Smaug's wrath. I wouldn't have been buried beneath the rubble.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to rage. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

A ripple of energy simmered beneath my hands. The magic was still accessible despite how injured I'd been. My hands shook with the effort to store it away once more. To draw it away from the surface.

"Where is he now?" I was just about ready to go kill the man myself.

"He was one of the people that died." said Mum "He succumbed to a fire of his own making"

I didn't know how I felt about that. Was I happy that he had died? Or was I angry that it felt like an easy way out for him? He wouldn't be punished for what he'd done. Wouldn't get to answer to all the people whose lives he'd ruined. He was just gone. Taken to wherever men go when they die.

"I should go and tell people that you're awake" Mum made to get up.

"I would tread carefully around your Adar, Leah. I know a part of him is proud of what you did but his judgement is clouded by fear. Don't think too harshly of him" She patted my shoulder and left the tent.

Leaving me to anxiously wait. To Ada I had basically done the exact thing he had wanted to keep me away from. I'd risked my life against a dragon. Somehow I had come out on top but only just. In Ada's eyes I'd only confirmed his suspicions that me being here was a danger.

I swung my legs around and planted my feet on the ground. The limbs didn't feel weak and I knew they would be able to take my weight. Healers must have patched me up at some point. Otherwise I would just be one giant bruise. With only a little effort, I pushed myself into a standing position.

Just in time to see the door of the tent fly open.

Legolas came in first. His expression was a mixture of relief and exasperation. He strode over to me and enveloped me in a hug. His grip was tight but I didn't mind.

"What you did was incredibly stupid and incredibly brave" he murmured.

"High praise" I let out a small laugh.

I think we both knew that if he was in the same position he would have done the same thing. We were two sides to the same stupid and brave coin.

When Legolas let me go, he moved to the side. Giving me a full view of Ada.

He held so much emotion in his eyes I couldn't bear to look at him for long. My gaze drifted to the ground. He looked distraught and angry and terrified. All of his thoughts and fears were displayed clearly on his face. No holding back.

"Liriel what were you thinking?" Ada snapped "You should not have been up there!"

I realised then that I was going to let Ada vent. Let him get all of his emotions out. His feelings were valid after all. I turned my eyes back towards him.

"I thought I'd _lost_ you. _Again_. I'm supposed to keep you safe. I had to find your body beneath the dust and ash" a tear had gathered at the corner of his eye but he refused to let it fall. He walked forward a few steps. Closing the distance between the two of us.

"What if Bard's arrow had not found its mark? Hmm. You would have faced the full force of a fire drake's breath. Do you know that pain? Do you know what you could have become"

A gasp fell out of me.

The skin of Ada's face appeared to be melting away. Twisted tissue and sinew below the surface became visible. It started in a small patch on his cheek and spread rapidly. Like a fire eating away at his healthy flesh. All across the left side of his face and down his neck. His eye became cloudy and unseeing. His teeth became exposed through a hole in his cheek. Ada's jaw tightened as if the process was painful.

"This. This is what you would have become" Ada's voice was tight. "A _shell_ of what you used to be"

I had never seen Ada's injuries before. I wasn't sure if I was even told about them when I was younger. The only reason I knew about them was because of the films. Legolas was also surprised. If his gasp was any indication I would say that he had never seen these injuries either. This was the first time Ada had shown any of his children the damage he had taken.

I felt a lump form in my throat. He must have been in such pain.

My hand reached up towards his face. He flinched as I moved closer but didn't move away. Ada let out a small gasp as my hand made contact with his sunken cheek. The skin beneath my hand was delicate. I could feel every twitch of the muscle.

Then I willed my hands to glow. Urged my magic to seek out the damaged tissue. To build. To reform.

"I know your scared Ada" my own voice was thick as I spoke "Scared that I'll get hurt and that you'll lose me again"

Ada's breath trembled as layer upon layer of cells were rebuilding. Capillaries and muscle knitted back together. It was a lot harder than when I had healed before. I had to push more energy into the wound. Like something was fighting against it. I grit my teeth and pushed on.

"But you can't protect me from everything. Smaug had turned on our people. He was going to kill all of us. We had run out of options and the only thing left was me. My magic was one of the only things that would have distracted Smaug for long enough." I looked up at Ada with a watery smile "I think you know that too"

My hand started to shake against his cheek. Each breath felt like it was harder than the last. But I didn't stop. I kept pouring more magic into the wound. There was only the top layer of skin left to go.

"If I hadn't done something then countless others could have been hurt or killed. And it would have been my fault for not acting when I could" The world was losing focus and going black around the edges. "I can't stand there while people get hurt. Not if I can do something about it"

Ada's left eye was the last thing to heal. Going from cloudy and sightless to clear and alert. We both gasped as the healing finished. My hand dropped away. It hung at my side like a lead weight.

Tears began to flow freely from both of his eyes. Ada patted his face frantically " ? ...They said it couldn't be done"

Gone was the anger from before. Instead his eyes only held astonishment.

The astonishment turned to shock as the world turned black and he only just caught me. Stopping me from slamming face first onto the floor.

* * *

I'd used too much energy in a small space of time. I'm surprised I was able to completely heal Ada's face before I passed out. When I came to again I was a little disorientated. It took me a few moments to recognise the tent that I was in. It was the same one I had fainted in earlier.

I startled an elf woman-who must have been told to watch over me-when I woke up. She seemed a little weary but otherwise uninjured. When I tried to sit up she rushed over to help me. "Here let me help you, your highness"

Her help wasn't strictly necessary but I accepted it all the same. When I was sat up fully she moved out of the way. I rubbed my eyes to try and wake myself up some more. My mouth was also monstrously dry. I attempted to ask for water but it came out as more of a husk. Thankfully she gathered what I was asking for and handed me a small cup of water.

It took a lot of willpower not to just neck the whole thing. But I needed to be sensible. There would be no point in downing all the water if I ended up throwing it back up again. So I took smaller sips. It was like ambrosia to my parched mouth.

"What time is it?" I asked. The sun was definitely out now. It streamed in from gaps in the side of the tent. I must have been out for at least a few hours. There was also a weaker scent of smoke on the breeze.

"It's just past midday, your highness"

Midday. That wasn't too bad.

"Midday of the 21st, your highness" she continued.

I nearly spat out my water. Durin's day was on the 19th. I had been in and out of consciousness for over a day and a half. Was that some new record?

The elf woman left, with a bow, to inform people that I was awake. It was Mum who made her way through the doors. She had a bowl of soup in her hand. The steam rose in the air.

"Darling, I'm glad your awake" her voice was less strained than when I was last awake.

She handed me the bowl and I took it from her happily. My stomach demanded that I tuck in. I wasn't one to ignore that instinct. The soup itself was actually rather bland. But it was warm and hearty and that's all I needed.

Mum sat next to me on the cot. Making it dip slightly as she sat down. I had to readjust the bowl to prevent it from spilling.

I was halfway through my bowl when Mum finally spoke. "Leah do you have any idea what you did for your Adar?"

I paused around a spoonful of spoon "Healed him?"

I hope she wasn't about to tell me that I'd done something wrong. I hadn't accidentally disfigured him further had I?

"Yes" she breathed a laugh

"Yes you healed him but it shouldn't have been possible. The dragon your Adar was burned by was heavily imbued with dark magic. More so than Smaug was. Wounds like that are notoriously hard to treat. The best our healers could do was seal the injured skin. He had to wear a glamour to cover it." Mum shook her head, eyes wide "But you broke through all of that and healed him anyway"

So that's why his injuries were still there. I had been a bit confused that a healer hadn't already tried to help him.

"Is that why I've been asleep for a day and a half?" I must have used quite a bit of power to heal him.

"Yes, I imagine that's probably why. You were weakened by your fall anyway, I'm surprised your use of magic didn't knock you out for a week" Mum quipped.

Once I finished my soup, my mind started to wander. About what had been happening while I was out cold. How were the humans coping? Did all of the company make it?

And where was Kili?

I realised then that I hadn't seen him at all. The last time I saw him was just before I ran off towards Bard. I had thought that he would have been here when I woke up. But there was no sign of him.

"Mum, where's Kili?"

Was he okay? He hadn't been injured had he?

The nervous look on Mum's face wasn't helping my panicked thoughts. "He's in his own tent, Leah. I think he needed some room to think"

Room to think?

"You should probably have a talk with him, darling. He hasn't been in the best state of mind"

My mind drifted down towards the bond. It ran ahead of me, somewhere outside of the tent. I gave it a very tentative pull. When there wasn't an immediate reply I felt my breath grow shaky. A lump formed in my throat.

Was he angry with me?

After what felt like an eternity I got a delayed reply down the bond. I let out a sigh. He wasn't completely ignoring me then.

"I'll take you to him"

Mum led the way out of the tent. She held the flap open for me to walk through. It finally gave me the chance to see the damage. The tents had been moved and erected further away from the forest. Parts of the ground were scorched and covered in ash. Anything that had been in Smaug's path had been burned away. Several trees were nothing more than blackened stumps.

There were also a lot less people than I had been expecting.

"Where is everyone?" I asked Mum.

"Most of the humans are being evacuated to Mirkwood. A good chunk of our army has gone with them to ensure that no orcs follow them. But our scouts say that they are likely several days away so we have time for the guard to return and regroup" Mum said as she led me through the new camp.

There were still several people milling about. Performing some duty or another. I saw a few humans as well. Some of them must have decided to stay and fight.

"What happened to Bard?" Looking into the faces of men I realised I hadn't asked about him. He'd fallen just as far as I did and he wasn't as hardy as an elf.

"He survived" said Mum "The healers got to him in time. He's still a bit weak but he's alive"

I let out a breath. That was good news.

Mum reached the front of a tent and lingered in front of it. I cast my eyes down to the bond and found it lay directly behind the door. A nervous energy began to build up in me. Mum said that he was inside and that she would give us some space. She left with what I assume was supposed to be a comforting pat on the shoulder.

I took a deep breath and steeled myself before pushing my way through.

"Leah" There was relief in his voice but it was also tight as if he was in pain.

Kili was already standing there. He must have heard us outside of the tent. I loosed a breath when I saw him. My first instinct was to run to him. To reach out. I only managed one step. Kili took a step back from me. Hurt clear in his eyes. It caused me to freeze, my arm hanging in the air where I had gone to reach for him.

My heart stuttered when he backed away.

Kili raised his hands up. "I just.. I just need to say something first"

He paused, his gaze flicking around my face. Unshed tears gleamed in his eyes. The moment of silence felt like forever. I wasn't sure I was breathing.

"Leah you _left_ me" his voice was hoarse and broke on the word left "I was stood there screaming your name. All I could do was watch while you ran. I had to watch as Smaug turned towards you. Had to watch while he threatened the person I love more than anything. I couldn't reach you, I couldn't get to you. I was powerless, _again."_

He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. When he opened them back up again the pain in them nearly made me gasp. "When I saw the tower collapse I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I've never been as terrified as I was when I saw you fall"

His hand began shaking and he closed it into a fist. "We couldn't find you-not at first. I pulled on the bond and got..nothing. I wanted to scream. There was so much destruction and you could have been anywhere. It was your Adad that found you. He said that he heard a cry. We had to unearth you from the ruins."

A tear ran down his face. "You looked so small when he dragged you out. Your armour was half crushed and there was all this blood. It was one of the worst things I've ever had to see"

"I'm sorry" I gasped, my own tears ran freely now. "I'm so sorry Kili. But I couldn't see any other way"

Kili sighed down his nose and another tear fell "I know"

Then he strode forward and gathered me in his arms. He buried his head in my neck. I held onto him like he was a lifeline.

"I know that there wasn't any other option. But seeing you like that just hurt so much" He said.

I apologised once more. My hand found its way into his hair and I held him closer. I didn't want to give him the chance to back away again. We both stood there just holding onto the other.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed when Kili spoke up again.

"I'm sorry for getting angry, Leah. And please don't mistake me and think that I'm not proud of you. You faced a dragon for all of us and saved so many"

Kili leaned back so that he could see me. His hands reached up to cradle my face. "I am so proud of you Leah but next time I don't want you facing danger on your own. We go together or not at all okay?"

"Okay" I nodded. I could deal with that.

Kili gave me a smile and leaned in for a kiss.

**I'll keep you safe-Sleeping at last**

**This chapter was just the chance for all the characters to deal with Leah's little stunt.**

**Also if your wondering why Leah was so effected by this fall when she fell down a mountain and was mostly okay, it's because this time she got hit around the head and got buried by wooden beams. Also I did it for the drama lol.**

**I don't think I've really written angry Kili before but it felt right. She had left him to go face a dragon alone I think he has a right to be a bit upset.**


	38. Tears of gold

**I wasn't actually planning on writing this but you know how quarantine be.****  
****I've actually been trying to write some original work recently so this fanfic has been on the back burner. But I am determined to finish this, it just might take a little while.****  
****I also can't believe that this fanfic is officially a year old. Though I don't really class it that way because I only wrote one chapter and then didn't start writing it again until June. But still, we've come quite far.**

I was surprised by the amount of humans that chose to stay. Most of them were men but there were a fair few women that stayed behind too. They had all been told of what awaited them. The armies that were marching towards us; getting closer each day. Yet they were still willing to stand and fight. Even after a dragon and wrought devastation upon them. In their eyes they were protecting their home. They could have left it to the elves and the dwarves but they didn't want that. From what I could gather, quite a few felt like they had a responsibility. It was their home so they should be defending it.

That's why I was not in any way surprised to find out that Bard had not left for the woodland realm. He stood, stalwart, with the people who chose to remain. Stepping into the role of leader quite easily. His people looked up to him. Not only was he there for them before any of this happened, he was also the one to deal the killing blow. In their eyes he was like some fantasy hero.

Then again he was a fantasy hero in my eyes too.

I had decided to seek him out once Kili and I had made up. We walked hand in hand, weaving through the tents, in the direction Kili believed Bard to be. There may have been a bit of backtracking as Kili got turned around. The new camp was harder to navigate than the other one had been. Instead of neat rows of tents, they had been set up-almost haphazardly-wherever they could fit. It made it a little difficult to navigate but we eventually found our way.

I had almost gotten used to the way the elves acted around me. The bowing and curtseying. The titles. The strange, unearned respect. So when it happened I would bow my head back at them or smile. I was not prepared when the humans started acting similar.

News must have got around that I was the one that distracted Smaug. As I was walking I could see their wide eyed stares. A strange look of reverence. Occasionally someone would bow and offer me their hand. Confessing their eternal gratitude. Commending my bravery. It felt weird to receive such praise. I hadn't exactly felt brave as I stared into the dragon's eyes. All I felt in the moment was terror.

I would just take their hand and smile awkwardly back at them. Kili was pretty good at shuffling them away without appearing rude. He could tell when I was getting overwhelmed.

Bard was standing talking to my Ada when we found him. He was leaning a little more heavily on one side and his skin was still rather pale. But other than that he seemed perfectly healthy. Nothing appeared to be broken and he had no gaping wounds I could see. The healers must have done a pretty good job on him.

I drew up short when I saw Ada though. A part of me was still nervous about Ada's earlier reaction. Was he still mad at me? Or had the whole 'healing an unhealable wound' sort of mellowed him out a bit? Only one way to find out.

His eyes clocked us as soon as we entered his line of sight. The look on his face was unreadable as he paused his conversation with Bard and made his way over to us.

"I would like to speak with you," he said to me.

Then he levelled a look at Kili. It wasn't a glare but it was clearly indicating that he was not to be a part of this conversation. Kili, thankfully, understood what the look meant. After giving my hand a quick squeeze he shuffled off in Bard's direction.

Ada had a quick look around, seeing the multitude of people darting about. Then he put a hand onto my shoulder and guided me into a nearby tent. It was unoccupied and full of scavenged furniture. They didn't quite match but they were at least undamaged. Ada then closed the door flap, giving us some semblance of privacy.

My hands wrung together nervously before I finally looked up at Ada. He wasn't quite as unreadable now that he was shrouded from others. His eyes roamed over my face. It was as if he was truly seeing me for the first time.

"Life is truly complex with you around, tithien vin," he said after a moment.

My chest warmed at his use of my nickname and I felt myself smile. It was a good sign.

"I'm not angry at you Liriel." he paused "Well at least I'm not anymore. In actuality I was incredibly mad at you. But after I've had some time to think and reflect I realise that my anger was misplaced."

"I am not angry that you helped people. The fact that I have a daughter that cares so deeply about her people that she would risk her life for them makes me incredibly proud. Even if I didn't have a hand in it, you have grown to be a kind and brave elleth. Just like your naneth."

Ada took a deep breath "It was fear that drove me. Fear that I had lost you once more. All this time I have still been seeing you as my little girl. One that still needs her Ada's protection. But you are not a child anymore." Ada touched his face "I think it took you healing me to realise that. You are powerful and capable in ways that I had not let myself see. I owe you an apology"

For a second I felt like I couldn't keep up. It was one revelation after another. When I finally internalised everything Ada was saying I looked up to him and said. "You don't need to apologise Ada"

"Though I feel I must. I have been treating you like a child when you deserved more respect than that"

I surprised him with a hug, burying my face in his chest. Thankfully, he wasn't wearing his armour. His robe was soft against my cheek. He only hesitated a second before I felt his arms wrap around me.

"Thank you, Ada"

He left not long after. There was a whole army to run after all he couldn't exactly stay in one place for very long. However, I felt lighter. Now I knew that I hadn't disappointed Ada. In fact he was proud of me. It felt like a weight lifted from my shoulders.

Bard gave me a relieved smile when I approached him. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Liriel I'm so glad you are well. After what happened I had feared the worst" said Bard.

"I'm glad you're okay too Bard" I said. I quickly gave him a once over to look for any sign of injury. "You don't look like you've fallen from a height at least"

Bard laughed "No, I've been under near constant surveillance by your healers. They wouldn't even let me move originally."

I smiled at that but then my face grew more serious. "Your family. Are they okay?" I asked tentatively.

Bard took a deep, steadying breath. "Yes, thankfully, they all made it out unscathed. I sent them with the others heading for the woodland realm. Bain wasn't pleased to be leaving but I told him that he had to look after his sisters. He seemed to feel better about it after that"

I nodded, happy that his family was safe. They would be treated well in the Elven Halls. Probably be fed better than they had ever been in Laketown.

"I don't know who was among the dead…" I paused, taking a breath. Not knowing how to say the rest. "I was just thinking about all the children that I looked after… Did any of them...We're any of them.."

Bard caught what I intended to say and answered for me. "As far as I know, no children were among the dead. But.."

My heart froze in anticipation of his words.

"I remember you got quite close with Maggie's children" My heart was in my throat. Oh god know please don't tell me they were hurt. "Well...Maggie didn't make it. She lost her life getting her children to safety"

I felt a burn at the back of my throat and the tell tale sign of tears in my eyes. "But she was all they had" I covered my mouth with my hand.

Kili wrapped a comforting arm around me. I leaned into his support.

Maggie had been young. She had been scared but she had been willing to do anything for her children. The thought of her gone was awful. Who did Hilde, Dilly and little Sven have now?

"They were left in the hands of a good family I promise you. They'll be okay" Bard reassured me.

As okay as any recently orphaned children could be, I guess.

oOo

The Elves were preparing for a battle all around us. They were laying out traps and securing good vantage points. In the story they had been surprised by the orcs attacking. It meant that they were unprepared and many died because of it. This time they knew what to look out for. They set up fire traps with some of the leftover oil. I was very apprehensive about using it after what happened. But Ada assured me that the elves knew what they were doing.

I was very relieved to find out that the company had all made it out alive. A raven had been sent shortly after Smaug's demise to confirm that they were all safe. I had been so happy and ready to hug them all. However, I was shocked to discover that they were all still in the mountain. With everything that happened with Smaug, they hadn't had a chance to check up on the dwarves. Too busy evacuating the vulnerable and healing the injured.

An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. What if they were trapped in there? Smaug could have caused a cave in and they couldn't get out. They might have sent a Raven saying that they were all alive but that didn't mean that none of them were hurt. I was also terrified of Thorin being around all that gold. The longer he was around it the more it would dig its claws in. I know I had warned him about it but there was no way of knowing if that would be enough.

Kili and I knew we had to get to that mountain as soon as possible. Ada seemed worried when I told him. For a second it looked like he was going to tell me no but then he schooled his expression and said that we could. We had to take an Elven escort with us but we could go. It was progress I guess.

I climbed onto a horse behind Kili. He was very uncertain about riding a full sized horse but he was hiding it well. We were sharing a horse as many of the horses were being used to escort the humans to Mirkwood. There were two guards escorting us to the mountain. Though what Ada believed would happen between here and there is anyone's guess.

Kili urged the horse into a trot and we began our journey.

oOo

**Fili**

Fili vowed to never go near a dragon ever again in his life. He was struggling to even stand close to the campfire keeping the company warm. Its flickering flames sent sharp memories into the forefront of his mind. The memories of the flames at his back. How close he had been to being snuffed out.

How had his people coped after Erebor was lost? None of the company had been greatly injured and yet here he was refusing the warmth from his own fire because it hurt to look at. Is that what his own people had done?

When Smaug had crashed his way out of the mountain, he had thought that everything was going to plan. They had all rushed up to the closest balcony-careful to still keep hidden of course. Smaug had fallen for the trap instantly. He had been following the pyres, getting closer and closer to his demise. Fili hadn't been able to see Bard through the darkness but he knew where he was. Smaug had almost gotten close enough, when everything went wrong.

It was Bofur that first saw the fire in the woods. The woods that he knew everyone had been evacuated to. When he pointed it out Fili felt like the world had slid out from under him. He couldn't even fathom how it could have started. Smaug's flames had been nowhere near it. Yet the flames began to spread nonetheless.

Fili had prayed that Smaug wouldn't notice it. Would ignore it for just long enough. But it wasn't to be. The beast had superior senses in every way. Fili, along with nearly everyone else, cried out when Smaug turned towards the elves and humans.

He felt so lost-so helpless-just standing there and watching the destruction. The smell of smoke in the air and the sound of crackling flames was almost too much to handle. Everything in him was rebelling. He couldn't just stand there and watch. Yet, he couldn't do anything.

When he thought that all was lost a bright light lit up the sky. It drew the eye of everyone. Like a star had been brought down to Middle Earth. He had to close his eyes against the onslaught. Smaug himself wasn't able to ignore it either. Fili drew in a shuddery breath when he saw the dragon abandon its attack.

Fili knew that light, though. Had seen it often enough and had even been on the other end of it. His brief relief was quickly crushed and replaced with a panic. This time stronger than it had been before.

Leah. It only could have been her. Last time he had seen her she had been stuck in Mirkwood. Yet there she was, acting as a new beacon. She had hinted that she would make it out but he hadn't truly believed it until that moment.

She had made it out but Fili was terrified that it would all be for nothing. Smaug could shutter out her life in an instant. And if she died then...Oh Mahal no. Kili would perish along with her. He couldn't prevent the sob that bubbled up.

He wanted to screw up his eyes, bury his head in his hands and block it all out. Like a scared child. Yet he refused to.

Watching Smaug be impaled had been like a shock to the system. Like he had emerged from a lake. But it was quickly squashed when he saw the dragon crash into the platform with Leah on it.

He hadn't been able to cope. The others could barely console him. There was so much uncertainty. Kili and Leah could both be dead and he could do nothing. The thought that he had just watched them die was like falling head first into a never ending pit. The same pit he had fell down the first time he saw the light leave his brother's eyes. For that minute that Kili was lost he felt like he was drowning. The pain in his chest was so intense he felt like it would never stop hurting.

But his brother had come back and pulled him out of that pit before it was too late. It was a miracle. One that tended not to happen twice.

The arrival of a raven was the thing to shake him out of his reverie. It had felt like a lifetime when in actual fact it had only been two hours. The raven told them all that Kili and Leah were alive. Leah was hurt but they were all still alive.

It almost hurt with how relieved he was.

The dwarves decided that they should stay within the mountain while the elves dealt with the destruction. It would take quite a few people to unearth the front gate enough to let them out. They could probably climb down the ramparts but it would be quite dangerous. The company decided that it would be too reckless when they were perfectly safe in the mountain.

Bilbo, however, seemed adamant that they get out of the mountain. The hobbit was dead set on them all leaving as soon as possible. At first he couldn't see why. He even felt himself get angry as Bilbo continued. But after a few days, Fili had started to see why.

His Uncle was acting strange. He made them spend countless hours within the piles of gold. Searching for the Arkenstone. Fili saw his uncle getting angrier and angrier. He couldn't understand why. They'd won, Smaug was gone. The only reason they really needed the stone in the first place was to join the dwarves together under one banner. A symbol of unity that would encourage them all to fight the dragon.

They should have been concentrating on more important matters. There was a war coming. They needed Thorin to send for Dain's army. Yet, so far Thorin had refused to do so. He couldn't understand it.

When he heard Gloin call down about people approaching the mountain, he raced up to the ramparts. Everyone else followed suit. Including Thorin, who now sported an armour made of gold and a crown.

The sun bared down onto the ground below. Fili squinted against it until he could see the three horses approaching the gates. When he saw his brother climbing off the back of one he nearly vaulted over the low walls to get to him. If it wasn't for his Uncle's arm that shot out he would have probably gone over the edge.

"Kili!" he shouted. Then he saw Leah climbing down from beside his brother "Leah! I'm so glad you're alright."

Kili began to walk forward. Looking as if he wanted to sprint up towards them. "Oh Fili you have no idea…"

"Stop right there!" Thorin's voice bellowed out.

Kili and Leah shuddered to a stop.

Fili nearly jumped at the sound. He turned to his uncle with wide eyed confusion. "Uncle what do you mean? Kili should be here with us."

"Can you not see?" Thorin asked, his eyes wild. "Thranduil promised that they would remain in Mirkwood. Yet we see them here before us. It was all a trick. It was all lies"

Fili took a step back. Unable to comprehend what was coming out of Thorin's mouth.

"Thorin please we just wanted to see if you were okay" Leah pleaded. She sounded distressed but she didn't seem to look surprised.

"Thorin what are ye talking about? I'm no' normally one to stick up fer elves but they helped us." said Dwalin.

Thorin turned towards Dwalin. "They lied about keeping Kili safe. Which means that they've lied about more. They have probably already poisoned him against me. They are using all of this as a ruse. They want to steal from us."

Exclamations of disbelief were pouring from everywhere. The dwarves couldn't understand where Thorin's thoughts were coming from.

The Elves with below, sensing a threat, had now drawn out their bows. It only exacerbated the situation. "Look. Look how they send their soldiers after us. If Kili were truly here of his own will, he would be alone. No. The elves want the mountain from us"

"Uncle, please" came Kili's voice from below them.

Thorin's face flickered with pain before settling on anger. "No! You are not welcome here while an elven garrison lies outside our doors."

"But what about the war Thorin?" Leah's determined voice piped up. "It's coming whether you believe it or not. You need to send for Dain or you'll only lose the mountain again."

Thorin shook his head. "It's all lies. There is no orc army. We have not seen any sign of them for near two months now. You only want me to send for the dwarves so your father can finally end us all"

"Thorin this is madness" said Balin.

The others in the company were saying things along the same line.

"Am I not your King!" Thorin shouted. Effectively silencing everyone.

"Of course ye are Thorin"

"Then you will listen to me." Thorin's voice was fierce and low. "We must protect what is ours"

"I faced a _dragon_ for you, Thorin" Leah screamed. Tears had now filled her eyes and her face was a picture of rage. "And you had to go and get _Fucking_ gold sickness. I even warned you. Did you not even try to stop it?"

For a second Thorin looked vulnerable. Like her words had cut through to him. There was a brief fear in his eyes. But all too soon it was replaced by a crazy eyed stare and anger. "I will not stand here and have you speak to me like that"

Thorin leaned forward over the ramparts. The elves angled their bows towards him.

"No one enters this mountain and no one leaves it" Then Thorin turned around and walked back into the mountain.

He left many a dazed dwarf in his wake. None of them knew how to handle what had just happened. None of them could understand it.

"You've got to fight it Thorin! You have to" Leah shouted once more. "You need to send for Dain and you need to fight this sickness. You're better than this"

But Thorin was already gone.

oOo

Fili hadn't been able to understand what had happened. How could Thorin ever turn Kili away? How could he ever speak to Leah like that? Fili knew that his Uncle had cared about Leah. He had treated her like she was one of them. Because she _was_ one of them.

When Leah mentioned gold sickness it all started to make more sense. A curse had gripped his uncle. One that had already succeeded in killing his great grandfather. He wouldn't be able to think straight while it had its claws in him. If they weren't able to get through to Thorin he feared that he would be too far gone.

After Kili and Leah left, Thorin wandered into the Throne room. Fili watched him from a distance. He was leaning heavily on the throne. His head in his hand. Fili couldn't hear what he was saying but it sounded like he was arguing with himself. It broke his heart to see him like that.

He wanted to curse the curse. But then again, adding further curses would probably do more harm than good. He wanted so desperately to help Thorin. But there was nothing he could really do. The company had attempted to reason with Thorin but they couldn't get through to him. He began to look upon _them_ with suspicion too. Fili felt out of his depth and not in control.

He could control his own actions though. Growing up, he had always been taught to respect authority figures. Had learned that he had to listen to his King. Thorin may have sometimes sounded unreasonable but in the scheme of things Fili had known they were for his own good. But should he still listen to him when he was no longer being reasonable? When his mind wasn't right?

Fili decided he was going to act now and face the consequences later. Decision made, Fili made his way up to one of the abandoned balconies. He made sure that he wasn't followed. While he still trusted his fellow dwarves, he wasn't certain that they wouldn't go back to Thorin. The older ones especially would struggle defying Thorin's orders. It had been drilled into them for so long that they didn't know what to do.

The air was brisk and there was a hint of frost gathering on the wall. Night had almost fallen. With the last of the light, Fili could just about make out the camp far below. Where his brother now resided. He couldn't believe he was separated from him once more. When all this was over he was going to end up locking his younger brother in a room for his own safety. How many near death experiences had that dwarf had in such a short space of time?

Fili's hand reached into one of the trick pockets sewn into his tunic. From within, he pulled out the reason he had made this midnight journey. He'd found some parchment during his time inside Erebor. Most of the paper he found had rotted away but there were some that hadn't been left to the elements.

He'd grabbed the best looking page he could. There hadn't been any ink though. All of that was certainly dried up by now. Instead Fili had put his sneaking skills to the test. He'd waited until Ori was busy before going through his bag and retrieving some ink. Ori had collected three extra bottles during their time in Mirkwood so he wouldn't miss one.

Nori would have been proud of him. Then again maybe not. It was his brother Fili was stealing from after all.

Fili wouldn't consider his writing very neat but he hoped that it was legible enough. It had to be.

He whistled a short tune. It didn't take long for a raven to descend onto the wall in front of him. It tilted its head to the side and chirped at him. _What can Roäc do for you Dwarf?_

The ravens of Erebor were fiercely intelligent. So much so that they could speak and under Westron. They had been allies of the dwarves for centuries.

Fili held out his hand with the folded parchment in. "This needs to get to Lord Dain as soon as possible. If it doesn't then we could all die"

Hunin took the parchment offered to him. _Understood. Roäc can do this for you. _

Then without further preamble the bird took flight into the night.

"Thank you," Fili said, hoping the bird had heard him.

Fili felt like a weight was lifted from his chest. He knew he had done the right thing. If everything went as it should, he could have saved a lot of people.

"You did the right thing Fili" a voice came from behind him.

Fili nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun so quickly he almost fell over. Standing in the doorway was Bilbo. His eyes were inquisitive yet understanding.

"Bilbo!" Fili exclaimed "How long have you been there?"

He had been certain that he wasn't followed. How had the hobbit snuck up on him so effectively?

Bilbo's nose scrunched up and he looked a bit guilty "I've been here the whole time" When Fili looked like he was about to bolt Bilbo raised his hands in a placating gesture "Don't worry I'm on your side. You did the right thing Fili. If you didn't do something then I was going to"

"Thank you, Bilbo" Fili felt the tension leave his shoulders.

"Leah warned me that this would happen" Bilbo sighed.

"She did?"

"She told me that there was a sickness here. That it would try to break into Thorin's head and feed him lies...And that's exactly what happened" Bilbo's voice was strained and it sounded like he was close to tears. "It's telling him that the elves are trying to trick us. That his own nephew has turned against him. If he doesn't break out of this soon he'll start turning on all of us"

Fili wanted to lash out and tell Bilbo that it wasn't true. But deep down he knew it to be fact.

"Leah said that the Arkenstone would only make it worse for him," Bilbo continued.

"It's a good thing that we haven't found it yet then" There was a huge lump in Fili's throat and he felt like he couldn't swallow. What would happen when they did?

Bilbo seemed to hesitate. Scratching his head and wrinkling his nose. "There's a reason for that"

"Bilbo. Do you have it?" Fili's words were barely above a whisper.

Bilbo reached into his robe and pulled out a truly magnificent jewel. It sent fractals and rainbows of light across the ground. It seemed to glow with its own radiance. How Bilbo had managed to keep something like that under wraps was nothing short of a miracle.

Fili hated to admit but he too felt some kind of draw to the jewel. Some longing to hold it. With more effort than he liked he lifted his eyes back to Bilbo.

"You need to get this away from here. As far away as possible. I can't let Thorin be hurt any more than he has"

"I know. That's why I'm here" Then Bilbo indicated to a rope tied around his middle. A rope that Fili had only just noticed.

He unspooled the rope from around his body and began to tie it around a stone pillar.

"You're coming back though, aren't you?" asked Fili.

Bilbo threw the rope over the edge and watched as it unwound before coming to a stop at the bottom.

"Of course" Bilbo smiled "You can't get rid of me that easily. Even if he is like this I'm not just going to leave him. I'm going to do everything I can to make him better. He'll be back to the Thorin we know and lo.." Bilbo coughed "He'll be back, I promise."

Then he climbed over the ledge and began his descent.

oOo

**Leah**

I couldn't believe it. After everything that had happened I hadn't been able to help Thorin with his gold sickness. It felt like fate was playing against me. Mocking me. Telling me that some things were inevitable.

I felt my mind spiralling. If I couldn't stop this did that mean that I couldn't prevent their deaths. What if after all this it had been for nothing. I couldn't cope if I had to watch any of them die.

The journey back to camp was a hard one. Angry, frustrated tears were falling from my eyes before I could stop them. The way Thorin had looked down at us. Like we were strangers. Like we were traitors. It was so hard to see. I loved the guy and here he was accusing me and my family of trying to kill all the dwarves.

I tried to stop crying, for Kili's sake, but it was so hard. Kili had it so much worse than me. Thorin was his family and he had rejected him. He tried not to show how much it affected him but I could see the tears built up in his eyes. His hands held onto the reins so tightly I feared he'd tear right through them.

To make matters worse, Ada was there when he returned. He saw the tears in my eyes and nearly marched on the mountain himself. The idea that Thorin had hurt me in any way-even if only emotionally-was too much for him to handle. It took a lot for us to convince him to calm down. We tried to explain that it wasn't truly Thorin's fault but I could still see the anger in his eyes.

Kili and I ended up back in his tent. All around us was the sound of the army returning from Mirkwood. From the snippets I could hear the journey had gone smoothly. All the humans were getting settled into the Elven Halls. The elves had also brought more supplies back with them.

Once we were finally alone I was immediately crushed into a hug. Kili sucked in a sharp breath and I could tell that he was trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry Kili" I said, while running a hand down his back. "And I'm sorry I got so angry at him. I know it's not his fault but I couldn't stop how mad it made me."

"I don't blame you Leah. I wanted to scream at him myself" He said into my shoulder.

"What are we going to do now?" I tried to keep the panic from my voice but I was struggling. "We can't fight the orcs without the dwarves. It'll be a bloodbath"

Kili leaned out of the hug, shaking his head. "I don't know, Leah. We've got to find a way to break through to Thorin."

We spent the rest of the day within the confines of the tent. I didn't want to brave the chaos outside. I doubted that I would cope. My nerves were like live wires. Constantly on edge. So much uncertainty was making me a mess. By the time the sun was going down I was exhausted. Partly from stressing myself out and partly because I was still healing.

I was tired but I knew that sleep would not find me. Kili had tried to cheer me up but it only made me feel worse. He shouldn't have been the one making me feel better. I should have been the one helping him. Good Lord, I was being a bad girlfriend.

I was sitting next to Kili on his cot. My legs were bouncing like crazy and I was struggling to keep still. At Kili's suggestion I was also humming songs. He told me it would help to keep my mind off things. I wasn't sure if it was really but it helped to fill the silence.

_I was following the pack, all swallowed in their coats_

_With scarves of red tied 'round their throats_

_To keep their little heads from falling in the snow_

_And I turned 'round and there you go_

_And Michael, you would fall and turn the white snow red_

_As strawberries in the summertime_

"The song sounds happy but it's actually quite morbid isn't it" Kili mused, he rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb.

"I guess so yeah"

"Do you not have anything a bit more happy?" Kili said with a small smile.

"I'm all out of happy at the moment. My brain is only supplying me with slightly morbid songs. You'll have to check in later."

"I see" Kili laughed "Well what song is up next then?"

"Have you heard the song Doomed by Moses Sumney? That's a sure fire way to bring down the mood."

Kili was about to reply when the door of the tent flipped open. Which was strange because I was certain it was tied closed. Then as quickly as it opened it closed once more.

"Oh thank Yavanna I found you" came a disembodied voice.

Then from where there had only been empty space a hobbit now stood. The sudden appearance of Bilbo was disconcerting to say the least. It was like my brain was screaming 'wrong' at me. It was so strange. Kili nearly jumped off the bed when Bilbo popped in front of us.

"Bilbo!"I exclaimed, climbing to my feet.

I immediately wrapped my arms around him. Giving him a hug whether he wanted it or not. Just seeing him, I felt better. It was a good sign that he was here surely.

Bilbo hugged me back for a moment before not so subtly prising my arms away. "It's good to see you too but I'm kind of on a tight schedule here."

I muttered an apology and let him continue. "Fili has sent for Dain."

"Oh thank god"

"Thank Mahal"

"Thorin refused to because he thinks that something bad will happen if he does. The other dwarves don't really agree with him but I don't think they really know how to defy him. It's not really in their nature. Most of them think that he will come around eventually but I knew that we didn't have time for that. If Fili hadn't done it then I would have." Said Bilbo.

"I knew Fili wouldn't have been able to stand by and do nothing. Not after Thorin had rejected me. He would have known right away that something was wrong with Uncle." said Kili.

Knowing that Dain's armies would come was such a huge relief. It felt like I could breathe again.

"And the Arkenstone?" I whispered.

Then Bilbo reached into his breast pocket and revealed the aforementioned artifact. I nearly gasped when I saw it. It was truly beautiful.

"I kept it from him like you said. But I don't think it's a good idea for me to keep it around. He's bound to find it at some point. I was hoping that you could keep it safe for me" Bilbo's eyes were pleading as he offered the stone to me.

At first I was reluctant to take it but I knew I had to. The surface was strangely warm when I held it. Like it was emitting its own heat. It wasn't particularly comforting.

"You did the right thing Bilbo"

"Have I?" Bilbo laughed self consciously "Why do I feel like I've betrayed him then?"

"You haven't betrayed anyone Bilbo" I urged "You're doing this for his own good. To protect him. If that's not noble I don't know what is."

Bilbo had to leave pretty soon after that. He couldn't be gone too long from the mountain or people would note his absence. He gave us both a hug goodbye before donning the ring and disappearing into the night.

I was left holding a very shiny rock and not really knowing what to do with it.

"It would probably be a good paper weight," Kili mused.

**I debated about what to do about Thorin's gold sickness but decided that it was still going to affect him. Mental health problems don't just disappear just because someone warns you about them after all. It's also a curse so it's probably magic or some shit. I also wrote most of this in one shot so its probably not great. But it's better than nothing. White Winter Hymnal-Fleet Foxes**


	39. Leave me to dream

**It's currently 5 am but here you go. I was just too excited about this bit to stop writing.**

Kili and I agreed to wait until morning to decide what to do with the Arkenstone. We were both exhausted as it had been quite an emotionally taxing day. He escorted me to my own tent as I didn't want Ada to have a heart attack. Ada may have started warming up to Kili but I didn't want to push him too far.

When I woke up, the stone was still there on my side table. In all its sparkly glory. A part of me that I'm not proud of instantly thought 'this is probably what twilight vampires look like in the sun'. Even after all these years my twilight phase would always come back to haunt me.

I lifted it up tentatively. Rainbows flowed across my skin as I moved it. There wasn't much light in the room yet the stone seemed to find it anyway. It was quite large and I could just about hold it with one hand. I had to admit that it was gorgeous. I'd always been a sucker for pretty rocks. There was a shelf back home full of them.

But at the same time it had a sinister air about it. Though that may be because of what I knew about it. How much hurt and conflict it had caused. Was it the jewel itself that had caused the gold sickness? If it had never been found would Smaug have ever shown up in the first place?

I shook my head. Dislodging the thoughts. I couldn't be thinking like that. What's done is done, I needed to be concentrating on the here and now.

The air was turning colder by the day. My breath misted in front of me even within the confines of my own tent. Usually the frost would recede once the sun came up but with each passing day it took longer and longer to melt.

I made sure that the Arkenstone was secured tightly in my pocket before venturing outside. Hauling around something as precious as this made me feel like a fugitive. Like I'd stolen something of great value. I felt myself constantly looking around me. Wondering if anyone suspected me of anything. Which I know only made me look even more suspicious. Nori would be severely disappointed in me.

My first port of call was Kili's tent. I wasn't doing anything without my moral support. When I knocked on his tent-or more realistically, flapped the door a bit-I knew that I Kili hadn't been awake. There was a startled snort as Kili woke up mid snore and then the sound of fumbling. The door eventually opened to reveal a very groggy Kili, rubbing his eyes.

"I've got the goods" I indicated to my jacket pocket. "Now what are we actually doing with it?"

Kili blinked up at me "Shouldn't we just give it to your Adad. I feel like that is the best option we've got. Other than burying it in a hole somewhere."

I nodded. That sounded sensible. "You're probably right. I'm not very good at digging anyway"

Kili smiled at that.

Ada's tent was surprisingly full when we walked up to it. Even though the sun had barely risen. Do these people ever sleep? Scratch that I already knew the answer was no. I peered my head around the door to take a look inside.

Ada was standing in the centre of the room with several advisors around him. Legolas stood near to Ada, getting involved with the discussion. Bard lingered around the edge with Mum. Looking wary but healthier. He was definitely less pale. Mum caught my eyes and waved me inside. She reached a hand out to give my shoulder a comforting squeeze when I got close.

"We will discuss this later" Ada said to the elves around him "Send word if anything new arises"

"Yes your majesty" They all bowed their heads respectfully before making their way out.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"Our scouts have spotted the orc armies making their way towards us. They are coming from the south-east like you said they would. At the speed they are going they will be here within a few days."

"Oh, okay" I said, dazed.

Fuck!

I knew that it was inevitable but now that it was happening I wanted to scream and throw up at the same time. My whole life could be turned on its head in the space of a few measly days.

"But our scouts have also caught sight of a new army. Marching from the east. I thought you said that Thorin would not send for the dwarves in the Iron Hills." I could hear the frustration in Ada's words.

I felt a breath rush out of me. Oh thank god. There was a small part of me that had been scared they would ignore Fili's summons. But dwarves were loyal.

"Kili's brother sent for them instead. Against Thorin's wishes" I said.

Ada's eyebrows raised "Impressive. But how did you hear of this?"

I gave a cursory glance around the room. There weren't any strangers left in the room just us. The advisors had gracefully closed the door on their way out. "That's actually why I'm here. Bilbo found us last night"

"The halfling?" said Ada.

"Yeah. He told us that Fili had called for Dain and he also left us something for safe keeping" That's when I reached into my jacket pocket to retrieve the Arkenstone. I placed the jewel on the table in front of me. Fractals of light danced across the walls.

There was a collective gasp around the room. It was most definitely the last thing they expected me to pull out.

And for my next trick I shall pull a Silmaril out of my hat.

Just kidding. I wouldn't touch one of those things with a ten foot pole. I was not getting set on fire today. Or burned, or whatever it was that they did. Though there was a rumour that the Arkenstone was actually one of them. I didn't let myself dwell on that train of thought though. We didn't need any more problems, thank you.

"The Arkenstone" Ada gasped "So they did manage to find it then?"

"Well Bilbo did" I clarified "He brought it to us so that we could keep it from Thorin's hands. If he got hold of this I fear the gold sickness would get much worse."

"Then it was wise for him to bring it here" said Legolas, reaching out to touch it.

"Thank you for bringing this to us, Liriel" said Ada.

"Well it was either this or a hole somewhere" I said with a sly look to Kili.

oOo

Waiting around was perhaps the worst thing. Like waiting for your own execution. The blade was drawing ever closer and there was nothing you could do about it. We also didn't hear anymore from the company. I assumed that Bilbo had made it back okay. Or we would probably be seeing him among us. I doubted we would be hearing from them anytime soon. We just had to believe that they were doing okay. Which was rather hard to do when you are a natural worrier.

Thankfully, there was quite a lot to do to help me keep my mind occupied. We had to break down our camp and the edge of the forest. The ruins of Dale were going to be our new basecamp. Our camp by the forest was way too open. But Dale offered walls and shelter for us to gather behind.

New armour was found for me after some of mine had been crushed. i felt bad because of it. Mum had had armour specifically made for me and I'd already managed to mangle them. But at least they had done their job. I remember an old rock climbing teacher had said that it was better to have a broken helmet than a broken head.

Mum had told me that I shouldn't take my armour off between now and the battle. There was no way of knowing what could happen and she didn't want me to be caught unawares. Neither did I. Once was enough, thank you. I may have exploded an orc but it had been way too close for comfort.

A lot of effort goes into moving a camp. As I found out. There were just so many tents and pieces of furniture. But elves were very efficient workers and it didn't take as long as I thought it would.

My limbs were definitely warm by the time we had finished. It helped to stave off the cold at least. A room had been set up for me in one of the stronger standing houses. I told Ada that I would be fine and to give it to someone else but he wouldn't hear of it. I decided not to push the issue, I needed to pick my battles.

Looking around the burnt out ruins of Dale was rather eerie. It was a literal ghost town. Like any second a spirit would pop up in front of you and demand you get off their property. The worst part was the remnants left behind. Even after all these years there were plates still on tables and shattered mugs on the floor.

Kili had sensed my melancholy mood and reached out a hand. I grabbed it readily. My current focus was on a carved stone I'd find under some rubble. Carved into the crude shape of a horse. A child's toy.

"We'll rebuild this Leah," Kili said. "It won't stay broken forever"

He gently took the toy from my hand and placed it back onto the ground. "It's probably best to not dwell on things like this right now" he said.

I took a deep breath through my nose and nodded. He was right. There were more important things to worry about. Winning wars and all that. One day this house would be rebuilt and there would be new children to occupy with their own toys. But right now I needed to think about the present.

With the speed of a ninja, I leaned forward and gave Kili's cheek a kiss. His face took on a lovely rose hue. "I love you Kili"

He responded by reaching for my face and giving me a proper kiss. "I love you too" he said against my lips.

I was taking every bit of affection that I could. With threats looming so closely I felt now was important to let Kili know how much I loved him. I would not face death without one more kiss.

His eyes were so warm, I felt like I could look at them forever.

A commotion of voices rose up from outside. Reluctantly, I dragged my eyes away from Kili and looked through one of the windows. Less of a window and more a convenient hole in the wall.

I saw a few people walking in one direction. Their attention was on something in front of them. Or _someone_ in front of them I should say. Through the crowd of people my gaze caught the sight of a rather distinguished grey hat. It towered above people's heads so that I could easily see it. Almost akin to a shark's fin in a wave.

"Gandalf!" I exclaimed.

"What? He's here?" said Kili, trying to see through the window as well.

"Come on" I said, grabbing Kili by the arm and dragging him out the door.

I had been wondering when Gandalf would return. It had been so long since we'd seen him. So much had happened. Him being here made me feel fractionally better. A wizard was always a good thing to keep around after all.

I, very politely, pushed my way through the wave of people to get to Gandalf. Many of the elves seemed to want to greet him so it was a bit of a tight squeeze. Thankfully, I didn't have to battle for attention. His face split into a wide grin when he saw us.

"Leah. Kili. It's good to see you" Gandalf sounded in high spirits.

I didn't hesitate to go in for the hug. My arms nearly got lost in his billowy robes but I managed to get them around him. He hugged me back with equal vigour. The elves around us quickly dispersed to give us some privacy.

"I would have thought that you would reside with the rest of the company" Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "Are they not with you?"

I looked down, suddenly not wanting to look Gandalf in the eye. "Thorin had gold sickness" I muttered "He thinks we're all working against him"

"This is as I feared. The curse on that gold has only increased in strength with a dragon spending so long wallowing in it" Gandalf sighed.

"The company is trying but Thorin doesn't seem to be getting any better," said Kili.

"No, I imagine not. It is hard to fight against one's own mind. Perhaps harder than fighting an external enemy. It could take quite a lot to shake Thorin free from this" Gandalf mused.

Kili drew in a shaky breath. Gandalf must have been confirming some of his fears. I squeezed the arm I was holding onto.

Gandalf then tried to change the direction of the conversation. "Lord Thranduil has tried to update me on what has happened. There was quite a lot to say the least."

"You can say that again" I muttered.

"It has been an age since I have seen your father with such a light in his heart." Gandalf pondered. "It was good to see"

Gandalf laid a hand on my shoulder. "You being here has helped many people. In more ways than you know. You must remember that"

It was like Gandalf was poking right on a sore spot. The amount of times I had wondered if I was helping/ changing enough were countless. Him saying that I was made me want to cry a little bit.

"Come" he said "There is something I wish to show you"

When we pressed him about it he simply tapped his nose and told us to follow him. Gandalf led us both back through the streets of Dale. Kili and I trailed behind him. We shared a brief confused look but chose not to voice it. Instead choosing to follow on in contemplative silence. I couldn't really think what Gandalf would want to show us. Or why he didn't just say it outright. The wizard was being his usual cryptic self. That was a good sign at least. It meant that the world was right.

He showed us to one of the houses that Ada had claimed. This one still had a functioning door. One which Gandalf tapped on with his staff. "Would you mind some company?"

"No, no, please come in" came an unknown voice from the other side.

It was deep and very much in-elf like. There was a hint of excitement as well. Who the hell was that?

Gandalf opened the door to reveal a largish room. I had ex[ected Ada and Mum to be present but the room was empty. All except for one person who was standing near a crackling fire.

He was definitely not an elf. Not a human either. A dwarf was standing in the room with an incredibly large smile across his face.

When did a dwarf get here? Had someone from Dain's army arrived early?

The dwarf gasped when he laid his eyes on Kili. Which made Kili freeze.

Gandalf had a light in his eyes and a smile on his face "Leah. Kili. Let me introduce you to Thrain son of Thror. Thorin's father."

My mind shuddered to a stop. A gasp fell out of my mouth and I covered it with my hand. Tears sprang to my eyes instantly. It couldn't be?

"You're alive" my voice cracked. "Oh my god you're alive"

Thrain laughed good naturedly and made his way over to us. He grabbed one of my hands in both of his. "Gandalf tells me that I have you to thank for that, my lady."

I turned towards Gandalf in disbelief. He smiled proudly back at me. So this was what he meant when he said I'd helped in more ways than I knew. I had told Galadriel and Gandalf about Thrain all those months ago. With everything that had happened I'd forgotten that I'd even said it. But here he was. Alive in front of me.

I'd saved someone. Something I changed had actually had a lasting impact. It was all too much. I was very close to sobbing like a baby.

Thrain then turned to Kili, who wasn't faring much better than me. His lip was wobbling in a bid to stop himself from crying. But there were already tears in his eyes. Thrain reached out a hand to Kili's face. "You, my boy, I know a Durin when I see one"

"Ugmil-adad" Kili whispered, leaning forward to touch his forehead to Thrain's.

They both stayed like that for a second. Eyes closed. "I have a grandson?" Thrain said with reverence.

He leaned back so that he could look at Kili once more. He drank in every feature. "Are you Thorin's lad?"

"Dis's" said Kili with a watery smile.

"Of course, of course I see it now. You have her nose. How is she? My little girl, it's been so long" Thrain had his own tears building in his eyes.

"She's the most amazing Amad ever. To both me and Fili" Kili's eyes were bright as he spoke about his mum.

"I have another grandson?" Thrain exclaimed as if it was the best news he ever heard. "When I was captured I never once imagined that I would ever see my family again. Now here I am with more family than I even knew about"

God this dwarf knew how to tug on the heartstrings. I would be dehydrated from all the tears by the end of the day.

**Ugmil-adad- Grandad**

**I don't know if I've done this reveal justice with it being 5am but I'd been excited to share it. Not enough fix-it stories tend to save papa Thrain and I decided that this one needed to. I know that in the actual book Thrain was long dead but I'm going off the movies. Mainly because I'm a sucker for reunions if you hadn't guessed yet. I've had like 7 so far already. I'm gearing up for an ultra emosh reunion between Thorin and Thrain.**

**Well I'm gonna go pass out. Peace out yall**


	40. All those nights alone

I enjoyed writing Dain's character more than I thought I would lol. Hope you enjoy it too.

This beast is over 500 pages long now.

I made spotify playlists for this fic if y'all are into that kind of thing. The first one is a generic one and the second one is a Sad Thranduil playlist.

playlist/2ZiKIEBUYhmuuRjBnqyZ1E?si=1C0gURlSQqOJcjPMNRnp6g

playlist/7EqLm7WqVJ3fkGTYXWYUPY?si=_0y3XNGUQBGt33q_D0Pnuw

"I have a grandfather" Kili looked like he was mainly talking to himself. Airing his own thoughts. "I've never had a grandfather before I don't know what it's like."

We were sitting at what could be viewed as a table if you turned your head and squinted a bit. It was more like a semi-flat piece of wood on top of a pile of rubble. If you leaned too heavily on it the whole thing was likely to tip over. But it was serving its purpose.

We had sat down with Thrain and ate with him. The dwarf was rather skinny from his time in captivity. I doubt the orcs fed him well. They wanted to break him. I seriously doubted he had had a proper meal in many years. I tried to offer half of my own bowl of stew to him but he refused it good naturedly. Apparently it was bad form to take the food from ladies mouths.

Mum had joined us at one point too. Though Ada had decided to steer clear. Apparently Thrain and Ada's introduction was chilly to say the least. Thrain was struggling to reconcile the elf that had first left them to a dragon with the one that had finally felled the beast. I couldn't blame Thrain for his lack of trust. Ada also didn't hold it against Thrain, or so Mum told me anyway.

We all tried our best to fill in Thrain with what he had missed. Which was, in retrospect, quite a lot. Kili took the reins for most of that conversation. He was very eager to tell his grandfather about life in the blue mountains. Thrain had been captured before the dwarves had settled there so he did not know what they were like.

It felt good to hear Kili talk so animatedly about his home. I caught myself smiling like a loon whenever he spoke. It didn't take long for Thrain to clue in that Kili and I were together. His eyes zeroed in on our courting braids and the dwarf burst out laughing. Evidently he found the situation just as humorous as his son did. The fact that his grandson had wooed an elven princess was a point of pride apparently.

When he learned about the origins of the courting beads he had been simultaneously amazed and horrified. Amazed that it was made of a material from the Mahal's own halls and horrified that Kili had died in order to get them. His eyes had misted over when he thought about how close it had been for him never to have met his grandson.

Thrain also looked at me in a very different light when he found out what I did. He reached across the table and covered my hand with his own.

"I feel like I owe so much to you and we barely even know one another." he had said. "Once again I must thank you, my Lady"

"You don't have to keep thanking me" I said, my cheeks heating up.

"Oh I am nowhere near done, gamzûna. You are going to have to get used to it"

Thrain also went on to explain all what he had gone through. It was truly awful to hear. And I was certain that he wasn't telling the whole story either. He was downplaying it or omitting parts entirely. But even with his watered down version it made my skin crawl. My mind struggled to comprehend the horrors that he had lived through.

Yet the dwarf in question looked like he was full of life. Frail and weak as he was there was an undeniable light in his eyes. I couldn't tell if that was Gandalf's doing-as the wizard had used his magic to clear Thrain's mind-or if the dwarf was just that resilient. Nevertheless it was still an amazing feat.

He was very concerned about his son

Thrain had grown tired as night began to fall. He was still healing from his ordeal. It would take a good while before Thrain would be strong and healthy again. A fact that was starting to worry me. He was in no state to enter a battle yet there was one marching towards us every second. I just hoped that we could convince him to find somewhere safe to wait it out. Dwarves were exceptionally stubborn and there was every chance Thrain would still try to fight despite his condition.

I didn't want him to die just as we had saved him.

He left first, to go and find a place to rest his head. Then Gandalf slipped away along with Mum. The latter reached over to kiss my forehead before she left. That left just Kili and I in the room. Both still reeling from the shock of the day.

"I've never had grandparents either. They all died before I was born" I said.

That was true for both worlds actually. Even in my human life my grandparents hadn't been around. It was quite a sad thought.

I would meet them one day though, in Valinor. Which was a very strange thought indeed. I don't know if I really believed in heaven back on earth. Obviously it was an idea I tried to cling to. The idea that my dad and brother were somewhere waiting for me had been one of my greatest forms of comfort. But as the years went on that belief wavered.

Yet here-in this beautiful, harsh, magical world-it was a certainty. It was probably a solace for the people that lived here. That their loved ones would see them again.

Kili looked up at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. It felt a little strange to be bonding over the lack of grandparents. But it wasn't as if it was the first time I'd done something like that. Anika and I had bonded over having our father's die when we were young... Except now I guess we no longer have that in common.

Life is weird.

"A lot of my friends still had their grandparents though." I said "They gave them money and cakes and stuff"

"I like money and cakes and stuff" Kili grinned.

"I know you do."

Kili looked down at where he had folded his hands on the table. "So you knew this whole time that Thrain was alive?" he asked. I couldn't tell if he sounded hurt or not.

"Yeah, I did."

"You could have told us. It seems like a pretty big thing to keep hidden" Kili was tapping his fingers against the back of his hand, not looking in my direction.

He was sad that I had kept this from him. Which I could understand really. This was his family after all. With dwarves their kin was everything to them.

I reached out and took Kili's hand. Effectively stopping his fidgeting. "I didn't want to keep it hidden from you Kili. In fact I came very close to screaming it from the cliff tops a couple of times."

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"It's just." I paused not knowing the best way to say this. "I didn't want to get your hopes up only for them to be dashed. To find out that he was alive only for you to lose him again would be devastating. Especially to Thorin"

Kili looked up surprised. "Wait, what do you mean? Was Thrain's rescue not a part of the story?"

I shook my head sadly. "In the story Gandalf finds Thrain in Dol Guldur. But he got captured by a..let's just say evil spirit. And then Thrain died trying to help him."

"He died?" Kili breathed.

I nodded. "So that's why I told Gandalf not to go in there alone and why I asked Lady Galadriel to do what she could to help."

I wonder what actually went down in Dol Guldur. Gandalf looked to be in perfect health and he even had his normal staff. That felt like a good sign.

"You saved him." he breathed. He looked at me with wonder.

"Well, no. Gandalf saved him. I just gave a little nudge in the right direction" I mimed a nudge as I spoke.

"Without which he wouldn't be here." said Kili. Then he reached up a hand to cradle my face. "Thank you Leah. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."

"You can thank me in other ways you know." I said, smiling at him.

"Oh and what way is that." His eyes lit up.

"Kiss me"

"As the lady commands"

oOo

The next day was a rush to get things ready. Most of things were already set up. It was just the case of checking and double checking. You could never be too prepared when it came to war.

Each of the humans that stayed behind was kitted out in some form of armour. The elves had brought some back with them when they went to Mirkwood. Though some of it didn't quite fit a few of them. Elves tended to be on more of the slender side so some of the bigger built men had to improvise a little bit. usually by attaching different pieces of armour together with strips of leather. It was better than nothing I suppose.

Thrain was desperate to see his son. He wanted to be there to help break Thorin out of his downward spiral. The guy held a lot of guilt. From what I'd seen of him he hated how much his disappearance had affected his son. Thorin was only young when he had to assume leadership. Thrain seemed to be under the impression that it was all his fault. If he had not been captured then Thorin would not have been the one who had to reclaim their kingdom alone.

It was a logic that we tried to tell him was deeply flawed. No one ever asked to be captured. None of this was his doing. The orcs that took him were the ones to blame. But dwarves are stubborn and the idea in his head wasn't going anywhere soon.

However, we couldn't get to Thorin yet. Dain's army was close and they were gearing for a fight. With Thrain with us I feel like we could negotiate better with the dwarves. If Ada just walked up to Dain and told him to do something it was very likely for a fight to break out. They would be more likely to listen to our strategies with dwarven royalty among us.

As the evening drew near, scouts came down to warn us of the army's imminent approach. Ada gathered up his forces and left the city of Dale. They lined up at the bottom of a great hill and waited. A move that I thought may be a bit problematic. Nevertheless, we all stood our ground as an army marched towards us.

Ada sat near the front on his great elk. Mum and Bard sat next to him on their own horses. I stood with Thrain and Kili. Sequestered behind a line of guards at my Ada's request. Not sure what he thought was going to happen.

The ironfoot army was truly a spectacle to behold. They marched in perfect rows. Similar to the elves yet completely different. The elven army flowed around each other and was adaptable. Whereas the dwarven army was stalwart and strong as if they were one unit. Unstoppable force meets immovable object. Sun glinted off their steel armour. It had the effect of being both dazzling and threatening.

When Dain rode towards us I nearly gasped out loud.

"I want a pig."

"That there is a war pig Lass. It'll bite your arm clean in two" Thrain leaned in to explain.

"It's still cute though"

Thrain laughed at my reply.

The army marched to a stop not far in front of us. Ada rode forwards on his too.

"Lord Dain.." he started but did not get to finish.

All the dwarves drew their weapons. Dain rode closer and waved his war hammer in the air.

"Good Mornin' to ye. Now would ye all do me a favour. Turn tail and piss off!" His voice echoed through the air.

The elves around me grew restless and I could tell that they wished to draw their own weapons. Ada held his hand out flat, a sign not to take up arms. His face was also a picture of anger and confusion. "What on earth are you talking about? Do you not know why you are here?"

"Aye. Thorin told us we're to fight the enemies at our gate. Now a won't ask ye again!" Dain raised his hammer in the air and spears were pointed our way.

Christ, just how vague was Fili's letter. Could he not have added a few more details in? Like the fact that _orcs_ were the enemy and not us.

Gandalf pushed through to the front of the elves. "Dain, please. Stand down. You were not summoned here to fight the elves. Orcs are marching upon the mountain. A bigger war is coming. One we must all fight together."

"Poppycock" Dain yelled. "I will not stand down for any elf. Especially not this woodland sprite! He wishes nothing but ill will on my people"

"We are the ones that felled the damn beast, you great hog." Ada shouted, unable to help himself.

Dain was momentarily taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Thrain must have decided he had seen enough because he barged his way to the front. "Dain, you great buffoon, stand down, lad."

Dain's eyes looked like they were about to bust out of his head. "Thrain!?"

A rumble reverberated through the crowd of dwarves.

"Thrain"

"It can't be"

"By my beard"

"It's him"

Thrain walked closer to Dain. So close that it was undeniable that it was truly him.

"It's you. It's really you" There were tears in his voice. "By Durin, yer alive"

"It's been a while, nephew." Thrain smiled up at Dain "I assume you have many questions. But first may I suggest that you get off that damn war pig and we can have a proper conversation."

Dain did not really have much room to argue.

oOo

"Well how was I supposed to know that ye weren't a threat" Dain said.

We had all moved into one of the more intact buildings. There were quite a number of us in a rather small space but we somehow made it work. Once Thrain had managed to calm Dain, the army stood down and we could all breathe again. The dwarven army now lay outside mingling with the elven one.

Any minute now I'm going to hear a scrap between the two of them I can just feel it.

The room contained no less than six elves, five dwarves and one human. I can feel a joke coming on. And not a good one anyway. The elves included yours truly, Mum, Ada, Legolas and two guards. The dwarves were Kili, Thrain, Dain and two of his guards. All on his lonesome was a rather bemused Bard. He seemed rather out of his depth with the interspecies relations.

There were some seats brought in but no one was sitting. They all chose to stand instead

"How about the fact that none of my soldiers were armed?" Ada said, annoyance clear in his voice.

Dain shook his head and laughed. "Well whenever a see tha' ugly mug a see a threat"

Ada's fists tightened by his sides and a muscle ticked in his jaw. Looking very much like he wanted to throttle the dwarf "Lovely" he spat.

Mum put her hand on Ada's arm and his posture immediately relaxed. "Let me." I heard her whisper.

Ada gave an almost imperceptible nod and took a step back. Mum stepped forward with a smile and a calming facade. "Lord Dain, I don't believe we have been introduced. I am Queen Elineth."

Even Dain seemed to be affected by Mum's calming presence. He no longer stood as straight backed. "Queen?" Then he looked to Ada. "I heard she wa' dead. Where've ye been hidin her then?"

The glare Ada was giving him would have burned holes in his head.

"Tread lightly dwarf" Ada spat through his teeth.

Dain's tact knows no bounds I see. You think for a lord he would be a little less brusque. But then again it was probably because he was talking to elves. He was probably perfectly lovely to his own people.

"You heard correctly, Lord Dain. But as fate would have it, I'm back where I was supposed to be." Mum said with an even voice. unflappable as ever.

"Blimey. A knew ye elves were a strange lot. But this just takes the cake"

"Let's just get back onto the topic now, shall we. " said Thrain, trying to calm the room down. He placed a hand on Dain's shoulder, centering him.

"No, aye. Ye right, ye right." said Dain. His eyes brushed the room and I felt them land on me. His face scrunched up in confusion. "We're no' letting bairns in here are we. It doesnae seem like the place"

I resisted the urge to sigh. And failed. Curse my short stature. Kili gave my hand a comforting squeeze. But I could see the hint of a smirk in his eyes. He found the situation funny.

"I assure you my daughter is fully grown and of age. She stays." said Ada.

I gave Ada a thankful smile and he nodded back to me.

"I died too if that helps," I added.

"It does not," he said in a very casual way. He still didn't look convinced though.

"If it wasn't for Leah, I would not be here, Dain. I'd be trapped in a ruin or dead in a ditch by now" said Thrain, coming to my defence.

"And if it wasn't for her we wouldn't have been able to kill Smaug" Legolas piped up from the back. Good to know that my bro has always got my back.

"Is tha' true, lassie?" Dain looks taken aback.

"Well I sort of tag teamed with Bard over there" I pointed over my shoulder to where Bard was leaning against the wall. He did not look happy to be getting involved.

"Bloody hell" He said with a bemused laugh. "Well, himrûna a guess ye can stay. Now where were we?"

oOo

The talks between us were long to say the least. The last of the sun had finally given up its grasp on the land before we were finished. It turns out adding another army into the mix tended to complicate matters. Especially when said army did not like to cooperate much. As was standard, the stubbornness of dwarves prevailed and they didn't like the elves plans. Instead they tried to come up with their own.

It led to a lot of rearranging and quite a lot of hair pulling. Eventually they came to some kind of understanding. Most of the dwarves were to be based on the ground. In the midst of it all. That was their fighting style after all. A lot of the elves would take the high ground and act as snipers from above. There would still be elves fighting with the dwarves as they didn't want to leave them to fight the brunt of it on their own.

It was getting harder and harder to sleep as the war loomed closer. I could not get my mind to rest. Even though I knew I needed sleep to keep my energy up.

I also found it very difficult to be on my own. When I was alone my mind got the better of me. It would throw awful images at me. Things that could go wrong. Loved ones dead. It would replay the dream of Bolg stabbing Kili.

Had I done enough?

So much had happened since I'd come here but it could all be for nothing. If any of the company died I don't know how I would cope. They all felt like family now.

So in the dead of night, when I felt like I was about to combust with the stress, I gathered my things and left my room. The room Kili had found for himself was not far from mine. I dove into his room and found him lying across the floor. He had refused a cot and instead had taken to using his old bed roll.

He stirred and blinked up at me as I set up my roll next to him. "Leah?" his speech was slurred from sleep.

I lay down so that we faced each other. "I can't sleep" I tried to keep the panic from my voice but I don't think I did a very good job. "Can I stay here?"

"Of course you can." he whispered. "Come here."

He wrapped his arms around me and huddled me to him. His arm made a pretty decent pillow. I instantly felt calmer and safer. Also a lot warmer. Dwarves ran hot and they made for perfect heaters.

We both woke up before the sun had even risen. Given that we slept long after the sun went down, it meant that we did not actually get that much sleep. It was also not our fault. Instead of waking up in our own time, we were rudely awoken by a booming laugh.

It startled me awake and for a second I didn't know where I was. I would have bolted upright if it wasn't for the arm wrapped around my middle. It tightened protectively at the sound. It took a second for my heart rate to calm back down and by that point I saw the intruders.

A bashful Thrain stood next to a hysteric Dain. Who's howls of laughter were not my idea of a good morning wake up call.

Kili and I scrambled up to a standing position.

"Sorry lad, I didn't realise that you were with company or I wouldn't have barged in." said Thrain, who actually sounded sorry for the intrusion.

"So it's true!" Dain exclaimed. He turned to Thrain and slapped him on the shoulder. "A thought ye were havin' me on."

"What exactly did he tell you?" Kili asked, rubbing his eyes. He did not look impressed about his rude awakening.

"Tha' ye were courtin' none other than Thranduil's daughter. A princess no less"

Now that I had gotten over the shock of being woken up I'd now moved onto amused resignation. I dusted my clothes down before crossing my arms. Dain then turned to face me with suggestive eyebrows.

"So himrûna, ye like a hairy fella with a bit more meat on his bones then." Dain laughed. "Not like those gangly fuckers outside"

"Language, Dain" Thrain chastised but I could see amusement in his eyes.

I looked over to Kili and saw a dusting of pink across his cheeks. I gave him a little smile and said "Something along those lines yeah."

Dain laughed loudly once again. The blush in Kili's cheeks deepened and he coughed. "Right. Now are you going to tell me why we were so rudely awoken?"

Thrain seemed to recover the fastest. "Oh right yes. I've been explaining the situation with Thorin's company to Dain. We both think it would be best to get to them as soon as possible"

Dain's face morphed into something a touch more serious. "Aye. And as much as I'd like to go with Thrain, I've got an army to command. A also don't wan' the old coot to go on his tod."

"Even though I'm _perfectly capable _of going on my own. Thank you very much" Thrain said directly to Dain. "I also thought that you should be there too. You've been separated from them for long enough."

"Of course, yes," said Kili, suddenly alert. "When are we leaving?"

"There's some arrangements for us to make first. We'll set off when we have more sunlight. It will take a couple of hours to make the trek to the mountain because all the horses are being used." said Thrain.

"Er am I included in this?" I asked, tentatively.

They had come in here only expecting Kili. What if he didn't want me to join them? I could understand if he didn't. I wasn't kin after all. But at the same time I did not want to leave Kili's side.

Kili grabbed my hand. "Of course you are Leah. You're still very much a part of the company."

"Yes, my lady. I wouldn't want to split you two apart. I have a feeling that would bring me more harm than good." said Thrain.

oOo

"What does himrûna mean?" I asked Kili.

I'd been itching to know what that particular little nickname meant. It's what Dain preferred to refer to me as. He found it endlessly amusing.

We were most of the way towards the mountain by now. The sun was well and truly in the sky. Though its heat was sadly missed. Now that winter was taking hold the sun's rays produced little in the way of heat. But our swift hike was keeping most of the cold at bay.

My stomach was doing somersaults the entire journey. If I wasn't careful I was going to make myself sick with worry. In a bid to ward off the panic that was building we were all talking about normal things. As if this was nothing but a stroll.

Thrain was telling us about life in the mountain before Smaug. About the small things that they all used to think were the end of the world. He spoke with a saddened kind of nostalgia. Shaking his head at his old self.

Kili laughed and hesitated in his reply. Thrain gave a chuckle too.

"What? What does it mean?"

"It means someone who is on the er...shorter side" Kili said eventually.

He was calling me shorty. Oh my god, I'm getting bullied by a dwarf.

"I'm taller than him!"

"Not by much," Thrain laughed.

Ada had not been particularly happy about my request to accompany Kili and Thrain to the mountain. Not after our last disastrous attempt. However, the orc armies were closer than he had originally thought. They would be arriving a lot sooner than we expected. Which meant that it was now or never to go and retrieve the company.

He also pulled me aside and asked if anything were to happen before we made it back, that I would remain in the mountain. I saw the pain in his eyes and I wanted to agree readily to assuage his fears. But I also didn't want to lie to him. I told him that I didn't think I would be able to stay if I saw people I loved in danger. He didn't look happy with my answer but there was understanding in his eyes.

I hugged all my family fiercely before I left. If things were as tenuous as Ada feared I didn't know if I would see them again before the battle. Mum made sure that I was kitted out in my armour before I went. Even went so far as to check and recheck all the fastenings. It kind of reminded me of how she had straightened my tie and zipped up my coat on my very first day of school. She had tears in her eyes then too.

My sword was strapped to my hip. This was along with several knives bestowed upon me by Legolas and Tauriel. Any more and I would've felt like a cutlery drawer.

"I think I prefer gamzûna to himrûna anyway." said Thrain.

"And what does that one mean?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"It means fierce one."

I frowned "I wouldn't consider myself particularly fierce," I said.

"I've seen you explode an orc," Kili said "I think that's pretty fierce."

"Now that sounds like an interesting tale." said Thrain.

We kept our talking light. Or as light as you can get when you're describing an orc exploding. Until we reached the foot of the mountain. Then I realised that we didn't really have a way of getting in. The rubble of the front gate was piled very high and I did not fancy a climb like that. Especially not while wearing armour. We could probably do it but it was a task I would much rather avoid.

Thrain was also veering away from the entrance. So I was confused as to what we were doing.

"Er Thrain. How are we getting in?" I asked.

Thrain looked around the rock face for a second before seeming to recognise something. Then he started to climb. "Ah yes, it's just over here"

"What is?"

"One of the side entrances" Thrain said offhandedly.

He hauled himself up over a particularly high rock and we scrambled to follow him. "There's more than one way in?" Kili exclaimed. "I thought the door on the map was the only one"

"The only one?" Thrain laughed "In a kingdom of this size? No there are more than a handful coating this landscape lad"

"Then why was I always under the impression that there was no way into the mountain after Smaug took it-other than the door from the map I guess-but that's what everyone always said" said Kili.

We followed on behind Thrain as he forged a path up the mountain. The guy barely looked like he was breaking a sweat.

"Well that's because it's more or less true. For most people that is." said Thrain. "The key and map that I gave to Gandalf were for one of the only doors that could be opened by anyone. All the others are keyed to the royal line. Meaning only my father or I could open them. Thorin was too young when Smaug came so he never got keyed in to the doors. I'm not even certain if he knew of them."

"Well I can say with certainty that he didn't," said Kili.

We walked until we reached a smooth patch of cliff face. To anyone else it would look like nothing but Thrain looked like he had struck gold. He felt along the walls, muttering under his breath, before he came across what he was looking for. He brushed his fingers against a patch of the rock.

As soon as he did a line of light shot out from it. Tracing along the edge of the stone to create the shape of a door. Almost like the tree door Mum and I had found back in Mirkwood. Except this one had a more angular design and was altogether more dwarfy.

Kili and I let out a gasp as the rock split in two and opened inwards. I felt strangely giddy at the sight. Magic would never get boring.

The inside was shrouded in darkness. This part of the mountain had probably not seen daylight for hundreds of years.

Thrain looked into the dark corridor with a slight frown. "Right. If you two stay close and hold on to the back of me, I should be able to get us through. I think I know the way from here."

"Don't worry I got you" I said, not even waiting for his reply before my hand glowed a brilliant white.

"Oh how marvelous" Thrain gasped. "Yes, that will do quite nicely. I'll lead the way"

So Thrain led the charge with us not too far behind. My light only reached so far ahead of us so we had to stay quite close together.

There were carvings all along the walls. It told of expert craftsmanship and an eye for beauty. Even in the low light you could see how much care and effort went into each one. Kili's head was on a swivel trying to take everything in. It was the first time he was actually seeing his ancestral home.

When we came across the first sign of torch light I shuttered out my own. I was strangely nervous to see anyone.

The first person we came across was a bewildered Bilbo. Who we very nearly bowled over, with how fast he was moving. He gave a surprised yelp when he bumped into us.

"Bilbo!" I said

"Leah!" Bilbo exclaimed before coming over to hug me. "By Yavanna you nearly scared the life out of me."

"We didn't mean to, I promise," I said, hugging him back.

He let go of me and said "You couldn't have come at a better time..Or worst I guess. I don't know" Bilbo said, shaking his head. "It's Thorin he's.."

"What about Thorin?" Thrain asked urgently. "Is he okay?"

Bilbo started at the new voice. He turned to Thrain as if he had only just noticed him there. He looked between us and Thrain uncertainly. "Oh well, he isn't good. I think his gold sickness is getting worse."

Thrain nodded his head with somber resignation.

"Er I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met.." said Bilbo.

"Oh sorry, Bilbo." said Kili. He put a hand onto Thrain's shoulder and smiled proudly. "This is my grandfather, Thrain."

Bilbo's eyes looked like they were going to burst from his head. "Thrain!? Wait, wait. Thorin's father!? That Thrain?" Bilbo covered his mouth with his hand and whispered "I thought you were dead!"

"Oh so did I a few times" Thrain nodded with a rather casual smile. "But life tends to throw you a few surprises"

"Right. Yes. Erm . Well. Hmm" said Bilbo.

Oh no I think we broke him. I put my hand onto his shoulder to try and shake him out of it. "I know it's a lot to take in but we need to find Thorin"

"Yes, yes of course. He's down in one of the great halls. He isn't letting anyone near to him but I have a feeling that you would probably be able to get through to him" Bilbo explained. "I'll take you"

Bilbo turned back the way he came and let us follow on behind him. He seemed to know his way quite well. Twisting his way through the labyrinth. It wasn't long before we came across a new face. Kili nearly knocked us all down to get to him.

"Fili!"

The dwarf in question spun around and a huge grin spread across his face. He had just enough time to open his arms before Kili essentially rugby tackled him to the ground. Fili let out a pained grunt before he started laughing. "By Mahal, it's good to see you brother" Fili ruffled his brother's hair.

Then he saw me and pushed Kili off him. He brought me into a bone crushing hug, lifting me off the ground in the process. "Don't think I haven't missed you too, Leah" He said before putting me down.

"I missed you too Fili" I smiled at him.

Thrain came over to stand beside me, looking at Fili with wonder. Fili was momentarily surprised by the newcomer but otherwise he was fine.

"Ah, so this is Fili" Thrain was going to hurt himself if he smiled any wider. "Kili has told me a lot about you."

Fili's eyebrows drew together.

"Oh he has, has he? Well I hope they were all good things." said Fili with a chuckle. "Who might you be then? Are you from Dain's army?"

Kili stood up and came back over to us. "No Fi, this is.." he started

Thrain beat him to it though. "No lad, I'm a bit more than that." Thrain said with a grandfatherly smile. Then he bowed deeply. "Thrain, at your service. And it is an honour to meet my grandson."

Fili stumbled back, almost as if he had been hit. Moisture pooled in his eyes and he shook his head in disbelief. "Ugmil-adad? but you.. They said you were…"

"Come here, lad" Thrain said before embracing Fili. Placing his forehead against his.

"I can't believe it. You're alive!" Fili laughed.

Thrain stepped back from Fili and looked upon him proudly for a few more moments. Then he turned more serious. "We need to find your uncle, lad."

"I was taking them to the hall, Fili," said Bilbo, standing off to the sidelines.

"Yes, yes of course. I'll come with you" Fili said, readily.

So the five of us headed towards where Thorin was. We didn't pass anyone else on the way there. A majority of the dwarves were either in the armory or in one of the rooms they had carved out to sleep in. With our journey unhindered, we made it there in relatively quick time.

The hall opened up above us and I had to stifle a gasp. The vaulted ceiling lay almost too high to see. The bridges of stone crossing across my view reminded me of the moving staircase in Harry Potter.

And the sheer amount of gold was just unfathomable. The place was huge yet it managed to fill the space with great hunking mounds of the stuff.

When I heard a gasp I expected it to be from Kili but when I turned I found Thrain staring down at the gold intently. I followed his gaze and found the source of his shock. In a small bare patch of ground stood Thorin. His head was in his hands as if he was in pain.

"It's him" Thrain's voice had a strangled quality. "He's here. Oh my poor boy."

We all descended down the stone steps until we were level with Thorin. He lay about 20 metres ahead of us but he hadn't noticed us at all. Too busy clutching at his own head and muttering. One hand held his head while the other clung to a crown with a vice like grip. Kili's hand gripped mine tightly at the sight.

Without even conferring with one another we let Thrain go ahead on his own. This wasn't a time for us all to barge in there. Just for a father and son.

"Thorin. Thorin, my boy" Thrain said lightly.

Thorin spun around and his face fell with pure anguish. "Adad?" his voice was small and vulnerable.

I had never seen him this way and it made my stomach seize.

"No, no, no please. Not you" He grabbed at his forehead. "I can't take these accursed visions any longer."

Thrain inched forward. "Thorin. I know you. It doesn't matter how long we've been apart. _I_. _Know. You._ A you are stronger than this. You can fight this."

"I'm not strong enough" languished Thorin. "I tried to fight it but I still lost. I'm just like my grandfather"

"No Thorin." Thrain said more sternly this time. "You are nothing like him. It took a long time for me to accept the fact that my Adad was not a great King. Even before his sickness he valued coin over people.

"But you, Thorin. You always saw the value in others. You cared for our people no matter who they were. Even as a boy I could see that in you. And you saved our people, fought for them. When any lesser dwarf would have given in, you kept on going. You are the reason that they even have a home now.

"I may not have been able to see you but I knew that you were a great King."

Thrain finally reached Thorin. Placing his hands onto his shoulders. Thorin gasped at the contact. "You are not Thror my boy. You are Thorin, King under the mountain, my son. And your people need you."

Thorin's eyes cleared and the crown slipped from his fingertips. The hollow sound echoed through the air.

"Adad?" His voice cracked and a single tear slipped down his face. It was enough to break his composure completely and sob burst out of him. Then he dived in for a crushing hug. "By Mahal it's you. It's really you, Adad."

So for the millionth time in the past few days, I was crying my eyes out.

I hope I did the father-son reunion justice. Everyone, even Thorin, (especially Thorin more like) needs a hug sometimes. We're only human..or dwarf in his case.

We've probably got like two chapters before this is wrapped up. Holy shit I can't believe that. I did have plans for more but I think that will be in a separate fic. Of what they do once the battle is over. Sort of a "where are they now" type thing


	41. Grab my hand, I'm drowning

**Good Lord action scenes are so hard. I had to listen to loads of action scores in order to get into the zone. Hopefully it paid off in the end.**

**Here's a link to a good one I used. watch?v=1tXOLqnjSg8&list=RD1tXOLqnjSg8&start_radio=1**

"Look at you, boy. I can't believe you're going grey already" said Thrain, picking up a strand of Thorin's hair. "You'll be like me soon if you're not careful"

Thorin gave a shocked laugh, tears still hung in his eyes. He looked at Thrain as if any second now he would disintegrate into nothing. A tentative, vulnerable wonder in his eyes. But if the tight fist on Thrain's shirt was anything to go by, it was one he was desperate to keep hold of.

"Adad," he said "How. How are you here?"

"Well, _that_ is a very, very long story. One that I think is best heard when we are in a more peaceful time. But the short of it is, that a marvelous young Lady asked some-rather powerful-people to come and rescue me." Thrain pointed over his shoulder towards where we were all standing.

"What?" Thorin's eyes widened when he caught sight of us. As if he had only just noticed us standing there. When his eyes found mine understanding bloomed. Then he made his way over to us. Thrain trailing behind.

He came to a stop in front of me and I gave him a nervous smile. "Leah, you did this?"

I brought a hand up and rubbed the back of my neck. "I just told Gandalf and Lady Galadriel where he was. I hoped they would be able to save him..and they did."

Thorin looked at me for a second longer before pulling me into a hug. I was momentarily surprised as Thorin had only initiated a hug one other time. The other times it was just me surprise attacking him.

"I cannot thank you enough, Leah" he said, leaning back. "And I'm sorry for the way I treated you before."

He sounded truly remorseful. "It's okay Thorin." I said "And I'm sorry for shouting at you too."

He smiled at that. Before turning to Kili and wrapping his arms around him. "Oh Kili I'm so sorry. To think that I would ever turn you away" Thorin shook his head. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, Uncle." said Kili.

His voice sounded tight but there was a smile on his face.

oOo

Meeting back up with the other dwarves was simultaneously heartwarming and hilarious.

They were all grouped together near the armory. From a distance I could see how down cast they were. Hardly any of them were talking. A good number of them were pacing in agitation. I also don't think I had ever seen Bombur look so sad. He was usually the one trying to keep high spirits. In their eyes they were trapped in an impossible situation. With an impending war and a sick King, it can be difficult to see a silver lining.

Their heads shot up when they finally heard us approach. They stood up and gazed at Thorin cautiously. It was clear that they were fearing the worst from their leader. But then a few of them found Kili and I walking behind. A new kind of hope blossomed in their eyes.

"Thorin. Yer here?" Dwalin walked over to Thorin but lingered back a few steps. As if he was still scared of how Thorin would react.

"Yes, Dwalin. I am" said Thorin. His voice was steady and even. No sign of the previous scattered thoughts and uncertain tone.

He rested his hand on Dwalin's shoulder.

"My mind of late has been troubled beyond measure. Demons trying to get a hold of me." He did not hide from the truth instead he dove straight into them "I know you could all see that. It took rather a large shock, but I think my mind is finally my own once more."

"Oh laddie, ye don't know how happy that makes me" said Balin, coming to stand near his brother.

Kili decided that it was his cue to run in. He ran headlong into the fold and greeted all the dwarves again.

"Kili!"

"Oh it's good to see ya lad."

"We were worried about you."

I decided to join the fray too. Receiving my own hugs and well wishes. It felt so good to see them again. Even if it had only been a week or so. With how much had happened it felt like so much longer.

Ori blushed deeply when he came over to hug me. But I just smiled at him and hugged tighter.

"What was it that shocked ye then, Thorin?" asked Gloin.

It was then that I realised that Thrain had not joined us yet. His shadow lingered further down the corridor. He was letting us have our moment without intrusion. Thorin was about to answer Gloin when Thrain finally decided to make himself known.

He walked into the torch light. It's orange glow illuminated him fully. "Now I think I know most of you but you will have to introduce me to some of you" Thrain said genially.

Nearly all of the dwarves gasped in dramatic fashion. Poor Dori tripped over a helmet as he stumbled backwards and landed on his backside. There was a lot of cursing both in khuzdul and common.

Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and Ori were silently confused about the newcomer but did not seem to realise who he was. Probably because they weren't related to the royals in any way unlike the others. They probably never saw Thrain before this. And Ori was born after Thrain went missing.

Balin and Dwalin were the most affected by his sudden appearance. They must have been the closest to Thrain out of the rest of the company. Balin tried to act respectful and bow but Thrain wasn't having any of that and brought the disorientated dwarf into a hug. After so long in captivity I think Thrain was going to take every hug he could get.

Eventually everyone calmed down enough for us all to sit down. They had moved some debris around to form a stone circle around a campfire. Not the most comfortable of surfaces but it felt good to rest my legs. After a few hours of hiking, climbing and wandering around a mountain they needed it.

The company began to recount their own tales of the last several days. Some of them were loath to admit that their journey with the Elven convoy was one of the most peaceful stretches they'd travelled. I tried to hide my smile at Dwalin's reaction to that. He sneered but reluctantly said that it "Wasnae bad".

Their story of Smaug was harrowing. I'd gotten close enough to that asshole to realise just how scary he was. But the idea of facing him when I was enclosed in a mountain was infinitely worse. It made me feel instantly more claustrophobic. Just the idea of staircases tumbling down from Smaug's sheer mass, was not a pleasant one.

I was also congratulated on my bravery in facing down Smaug. Bofur very eloquently said that I had bigger balls than any Dwarf he knew. Which I took as a compliment but I was also curious as to just how many he'd actually seen.

When they explained the last few days, they were a little more scarce on the details. I think that was more for Thorin's sake than anything. Everyone greatly respected him and did not want to upset him. I could see Thorin staring at the ground when they spoke of it.

Then the conversation turned to what was happening beyond the mountain's walls. They were very concerned about what was happening with this Battle we were supposed to be happening.

That's when Thorin's head shot up. Fear was written across his face. "We'll be an army down. I never sent for Dain."

Thorin raced to his feet looking like he wanted to spring into action.

"Dain's here, don't worry," I said quickly, trying to placate him.

Thorin froze, confused. "What? How?"

"I sent for him, Uncle" Fili said. He looked like he did not know whether to be embarrassed or pleased. Somewhere in between. "I sent them a raven pretending to be you. I hope you don't mind."

Thorin visibly sagged with relief. "Mind? Fili that was probably the decision between life and death. If you hadn't done so I fear for what may have happened."

His tone was very self-deprecating and I could tell that Thorin was tearing himself up over his lack of action. I wanted to console him but I didn't know what to say that would change his mind. Also my focus was diverted away from the group by a low thudding sound.

It confused me enough to draw my ear and I turned towards the sound. It had been very distant and I could not think of what might have caused it. It also didn't help that none of the dwarves had reacted to it. They carried on talking as if nothing had happened. It made me think that I was just hearing things. Being in a darkened cavern is bound to make my brain conjure random things. So I tried to push it from my mind.

The conversation carried on around me. Food was handed out from the packs we had brought with us. The dwarves were infinitely grateful as their own stores had run dangerously low. They were surviving off of dried meat and nuts. Bombur was lamenting about how much he was wasting away. He was very happy when we offered him bread. It was a kind of flatbread that was easier to cook on the go.

We also offered them fresh water. They had needed to melt the snow from outside for drinking water. While it was perfectly okay it didn't beat proper fresh water. Though I did get a few grumbles as they hoped I could bring them something stronger. I just laughed and told them that my pack was heavy enough as it is. I wasn't burdening it with mead.

The ominous sound repeated itself several times. Enough for me to realise that it wasn't just in my head. It varied in intensity, with some sounds stronger than others. It sounded like stones crashing together. I froze for a second thinking that something in the mountain could be collapsing.

"Can you hear that?" I asked, swivelling my head to the sound.

"Hear what?" Kili asked.

"It's like thudding or crashing" I pointed towards the sound. "It's coming from that way. Was anything unstable? Like a staircase or something?"

"Lass, where yer pointing leads outside." Bofur said with concern in his voice.

"What?" I said in a small voice.

If it came from outside that could only mean one thing. It felt like I just had ice water thrown over me. A feeling of unfettered dread crashed into me. Like a lead weight in my stomach. For a second I could not think past the rising panic. The brief peace that we just had was shattered in an instant. I had forgotten the very reason that we needed to be here in the first place.

We were at War.

There was a battle that could already be raging beyond these walls. I felt sick.

"It's happening" I whispered "Oh god it's already started."

Everyone was suddenly extremely alert as I shot to my feet.

"What's started?" Ori began to ask.

I don't even know if I could have replied to him. My mind was in overdrive. Before I could even begin to explain the sound of crashing stones echoed off the mountain walls. So loud this time that even the dwarves could hear it. It felt like the floor shook with the force of it.

oOo

It felt like I couldn't breath. An invisible hand had my lungs in a bruising grip and refused to let go. Not yet. Not now. It can't be happening now. How had the orcs arrived here so fast? When Ada said he was concerned I thought that meant they were a day away. Not _hours. _

I could barely get my feet to comply with me as the dwarves ran towards a balcony. If it wasn't for Kili's hand on my arm I wouldn't have moved at all.

They poured out onto the balcony. I couldn't even hear their exclaims of shock. Too drawn to the scene in front of me. It was bloody and macabre but I couldn't look away. The breath completely seized in my lungs and I froze against the stone fence. My mind was refusing to comprehend what it was seeing. I felt almost detached as if I was watching the scene from behind glass.

It wasn't real. It couldn't be real because if it was then I could see no end. I'd never seen war before. Not real war. Fantasy depictions could never show you the true extent of it. Most of the time it was glorified and glamorised.

As far as the eye could see people were battling. Thousands of them. How could anyone win against all that bloodshed.

The sky was a blanket of white above us. Almost serene and comforting. A little spattering of snow floated down from above. It was a complete antithesis of what was happening all around us.

It was like a sea of monsters swarming around everyone. Each one more fearsome than the last. Great brutes towered high above the rest. Cave Trolls, somehow even worse than the ones we had encountered before. Probably because these ones weren't dying in the light.

The ground was already glazed a deep red. I couldn't smell anything from this high up but my brain was doing a pretty good job at imagining. Like a ghost of death clinging to my senses.

The noise was deafening. The only thing louder would be the pulse in my own ears. Blades screamed against blades. They carved and cleaved against each other. The sky was a maelstrom of arrows. Hissing and slicing. Large boulders were launched into the air and rocked the earth as they landed. That must have been what I was hearing in the armory.

By far the worst sound came from the people themselves. Their snarls and battlecries were interspersed with sanity shattering cries.

I felt numb. Completely and utterly numb.

This was it. What the entire journey had been gearing up for. Even before I came to Middle Earth. Everything I had done was to get to this moment. To change it. To save the people I loved. This point was pivotal and there was no way of knowing if everything I'd done had been enough.

It was happening. Right now. The one moment that really mattered. That could be the difference between life and death. This was the time that I needed to fight with everything that I had. To rage against them with tooth and nail. To refuse to back down until everyone was safe.

But I couldn't _fucking_ move.

My hands were shaking uncontrollably against the stone. It felt like the world was losing focus and all I could see was the blood being shed far down below.

My body was forcibly shaken and I felt everything refocus around me. The sounds sharpened but they were no longer an all consuming cacophony. Instead my brain could now pick up on other sounds. Like the cries of a concerned dwarf to my right.

"Leah, we need to move!" Kili yelled.

He dragged me backwards just in time for a boulder to crash and shatter against the side of the mountain. Right above our heads. We all dove under the overhang, shielding us from the brunt of it. Rock and dust sprayed down on us and a large chunk of it took out part of the railing.

Thankfully none of us were hurt but the cloud of dust it conjured had us coughing and wiping our eyes.

"To the armory!" I heard someone yell.

"We must fight!"

The sound of running echoed off the walls as they bounded back down the corridor. Kili grabbed my hand and followed behind them. I let Kili drag me.

The dwarves were a whirlwind. Donning their armour and collecting their weapons. Thankfully Kili and I were already fully kitted out. Otherwise I don't think my shaking hands would have been able to fit my armour on.

My palms were slick with sweat when I reached for my sword. The leather grip thankfully counteracted that and I was able to still get a good hold of it. Having something to grip tightly was also helping my shaking hands. It felt like a lifeline that I could grab onto. I knew Dwalin would be telling me to loosen my grip in a battle but for right now it was all I could do.

We all walked towards the entry hall where the front gate lay. The noise of battle grew louder yet it still sounded distant and far away. The way it echoed through the chamber gave it an eerie and ghostly quality. Like I was hearing the sounds of the dead.

The dwarves rigged one of the large bells up high on the ceiling. When they released it, the huge lump of metal would careen towards the blocked doorway and cleave a path to the war beyond.

"I don't know if I can do this Kili" I whispered, barely above a breath.

Kili reached a hand to my chin and made me look at him. "I would never ask you to, Leah."

I closed my eyes. Of course he would never do that. If anything I think he would prefer to hide me away deep in the mountain where nothing could get to me. It was probably eating him up inside for me to be even this close to danger.

But I also knew that this was something I had to do. Some deep, instinctual part of me knew that if I shied away now then everything would fall apart. I couldn't leave everybody else to fight when I could be helping.

I opened my eyes again and looked down at my hands. They were pale and seemingly unassuming. But I knew the power that lay beneath them could potentially save lives. Whether through a healing touch or something more destructive. If I hid away now-and people died because of it- then it would be on my head.

"I have to. I know I do. It's just.." I shook my head and looked towards the front gate. "It's just so hard."

Kili touched my chin again, bringing my focus back to him. "We're in this together Leah."

I nodded. "Remember what I said, Kili. Under no circumstances can we go to Raven Hill."

"Don't worry. That fact has been cemented into my head from the very first time you mentioned it." said Kili.

We all gathered to the side of the front gate. It would only take a few seconds for the bell to swing through the rubble and we had to be prepared to run out. Thrain was fully armed along with the rest of them. He looked up when I walked over to him.

"Would I ever be able to convince you not to fight?" I asked.

He rested a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "I know you mean well, gamzuna. After everything I've been through no one would blame me if I never lifted a weapon again." Then he looked out onto the rest of the company. "But I'm Durin's folk, lass. I can't run from a fight. Especially one to protect my home and my kin"

I knew deep down that he would never back down. There was just a small hope that I would be wrong and Thrain would stay safe. But he would never stay here while his family fought. He would give everything he could to protect them. I just hoped that he wouldn't lose everything in doing so.

I turned back as Thorin began addressing us all. "After everything I have done I have no right to ask this of you. But will you fight with me. One last time."

Rallying cries resounded back at him. None of us were backing down now. Not after we had all come so far.

"DU BEKAR" Thorin shouted, raising his sword in the air.

"DU BEKAR" we all mirrored.

Then Thorin brought his sword down onto a taut piece of rope. The only one holding the bell high up on the ceiling. With one resolute swing the whole thing became untethered and it swung towards the front gate.

I could feel the resulting crash deep within my bones. As if the force of it had knocked into me too. The rubble disintegrated on impact and launched outwards. We only waited long enough for the bell to settle before we charged.

Every instinct within my body was screaming at me, begging for me, to turn back. It was a fight just to keep my feet going one foot in front of the other. I shouldn't be here. No one should be here.

But we were.

I lifted my sword up high and charged with the rest of them. Directly into the fray. I tried to keep Kili in my sights at all times. If I was turned around and left alone I didn't know what I would do.

A gap cleared for us to run through as Thorin led the charge. The dwarves all rallied behind their King. Bolstering him up until they were in step with us. They all ran towards the line of enemies bearing down on us. Swords in hand. Battlecry on their lips.

The two lines met with a mighty crash. I swear I could feel the moment that they clashed together. Like it sent a ripple through the air.

It was chaos.

Sword and shield.

Spear and hammer.

They all collided together in a brutal dance of death. The dwarves were not lithe like the elves. They did not move like dancers. But they had their own elegance about them. Stringent and tenacious. They moved with a purpose, no need for added flair.

The floor was rough yet strewn with blood. I fought to keep my balance and push onwards.

Almost immediately we were all separated from one another. As the enemy sort to drive a wedge between our defenses. Kili was forced to the left while I was forced to the right. He reached out his hand as if to grab for me but was instantly blocked off by an orc. His attention then swerved to thrust out his sword.

My body screamed at me to get back to him. Without him next to me I didn't know how I would cope. My mind had moved so far beyond panic now.

The enemy loomed above us. They had height and reach on their side. Not to mention their sheer ferocity and feral monstrosity. They did not move with grace. Instead they were rabid. Their movements were difficult to calculate. It made them all that much more dangerous. Even the smaller ones seemed to be about a foot taller than us. I was taller than all the dwarves but even that wasn't enough. The first orc that got close enough to me was at least a head taller.

I didn't even get the chance to bring my sword up before it was cut down. A warhammer swung so hard its head was reduced to nought but a bloody pulp. Its black blood was splattered across my front and I had to fight the urge to stumble back and gag. I couldn't even see who had made the killing blow. Not even to thank them.

I didn't have time to wipe my face before two more clawed their way through the ranks and tried to get towards me. They were coming from the side trying to flank me.

No time to ponder.

No time to delay.

If I froze for even a second in this anarchy I would die.

With my sword in my right hand I spun out. Swing the sword in an arc. Slicing through the first orc. It cut a line across its chest producing an ear piercing screech.

But I wasn't done. I pushed out with my left hand. Power swirled beneath my skin before it glowed blindingly bright. I urged it to burn. To break. To destroy. This wasn't a healing light. Not right now. No, this was a weapon.

The light burst from my hand and exploded across the orc that it came in contact with. Its flesh bubbled and blistered. Parts of its flesh were blown away. The other orc caught a good brunt of it as well. It scratched at its own eyes-burnt and blind-as it crashed to the ground. It didn't take long for a sword to find its way into its gut.

My breath came out in a wet rasp. But I managed to get my body under control. I had held back on my power but it still took me a second to recover from using it. I couldn't afford to use all my strength at once. My power was very capable of ripping through an orc but if I did that then I would weaken. If I stumbled too much then I would get a blade in my back.

I could see Kili from the corner of my eye and I fought to get closer to him. If one of us went down then we both did. We couldn't afford to be too far apart. We had to watch each other's backs.

He was fighting an orc of his own. Their blades were locked and the orc was trying to use its height and weight to bear down on him. Kili strained against the force and shoved the orc back. It staggered slightly but went straight back into the first.

I moved to make my way over to him. Each step was bringing me closer to Kili but I felt so far away. I was slicing and jabbing as I went. The odd blade or club would catch against my armour and nearly send me sprawling. But I managed to strike back. Either with the sharp edge of my blade or the bright light of my power. I had to be careful not to blind any of the dwarves around me. Thankfully most of them were shorter than the orc and most of my power was aimed upwards.

At times it felt like I wasn't even in my own body. I was just acting and reacting. Relying on my instincts to keep me alive. Yet at the same time I felt like I had never been so present. Never so stuck in the here and now. Each second was an eternity. But eternity had never moved so fast.

I screamed through gritted teeth. The metal in my hand sung against my enemy. The sensation was almost enough to make me drop it but I pushed on. My jaw was clenched almost to the point of pain. I couldn't tell if the moisture on my face was tears or blood.

Probably both.

I was ducking and weaving. Nearly tripping over the fallen that littered the battlefield. With more adding to that number every minute. Several times I had been yanked forcefully out of the way. Only for arrows to rain down or a hammer to crash right where my body had been.

One dwarf pushed me so hard I nearly went sprawling into the blood soaked ground. When I turned back I was just in time to see him take a blow that was meant for me. An axe swung down with such speed that it took his arm clean off.

The sight would have made me lose what I had left in my stomach. But my body was so hyped up on adrenalin it made my stomach seize. And my mind was trying so hard to numb itself from the horror.

I didn't even know this dwarf. But he had put himself in my place.

The dwarf crashed to his knees. Shock and pain threw him off kilter. The orc was going to take advantage of that and brought its axe up once more.

With a speed which surprised even me, I threw my hand up and blasted the orc with burning light. It stumbled just enough for me to jab the sword right into its throat. Blood spurted from the wound in thick rivulets. It clutched at its throat before slumping to the ground.

My mind turned towards the injured dwarf. He had saved me but in doing so he was bleeding out. His uninjured hand was grasping at his amputated shoulder. Blood slipped between his fingers and landed on the ground below him.

He was going to bleed out.

Without even thinking I dove to my knees in front of the dwarf. My hands reached for the wound. Already glowing. The dwarf shied away from it but I ignored it.

"What's your name?" I asked as magic sunk beneath the skin.

"Me..merin" He gasped.

Oh god he sounded so young. I urged the skin to seal. To essentially cauterize the wound. I had to jump back from him when an arrow shot over top of us. But I dove straight back in. Until the blood stopped spewing out.

I gasped as my vision doubled. A few blinks had it correcting itself but my breathing was still coming out in short rasps.

"Get to safety Merin. Please" I begged.

I hauled myself to my feet. It took a moment before my legs felt solid beneath me. Merin followed behind me. Clambering to his feet. He gave me a brief but heartfelt thank you before falling back. Back towards the mountain. Where, hopefully, it was safe.

I was completely disorientated by the chaos around me. For what felt like forever-but was only an agonising few seconds-I couldn't locate Kili. He wasn't where he had been before. He had dispatched multiple different orcs as I made my way over to him. In the time that it took me to heal Merin, Kili had been pushed back several metres.

An orc caught his shoulder and he nearly lost the grip on his sword. The same orc reared back and aimed to strike again.

My body was moving once again.

Running.

Clawing my way towards Kili.

My balance was off and I was struggling to move too quickly. I had used up quite a lot of energy in a short space of time. My muscles were screaming at me to slow but I refused to listen. Pushing through the pain.

Kili defended against the strike with ease. He hit out at the orcs knees causing the creature to tip forward. When he was close enough to Kili he gave it a swift headbutt. Sending it falling backwards.

He had dealt with that orc with ease but he hadn't seen the Gundabad orc wrecking its way towards him. It tossed others to the side as if they were nothing with a studded mace.

And it had its sights set on Kili.

It's mace arced up high and he meant for it to land right where Kili was. I had just enough time to yell Kili's name-The sound of it shocking him enough to turn-before I ploughed into him at full force. The sudden strength of it sent him flying away.

The strike that had been intended for Kili hit me instead. It crashed down onto my right shoulder. Breaking through my armour and rendering it useless. The shoulder plate took the brunt of the attack and snapped off. The chain mail underneath broke in several places leaving a gaping hole.

It didn't draw blood but my bones sang and I crippled under the blow. The sword dropped from my hand and splattered against the ground. I screamed against the sudden pain. It felt like my arm should be shattered but it was still wholly intact.

Elven armour can withstand a lot. The fact that this orc had broken through it like it was nothing was a testament to its strength. My shoulder plate was stuck to the barbs of his mace as he hefted it back up.

I didn't give it the chance to rear up again. Light erupted out of me. Exploding out like a burst dam. In my pain and panic I pushed a lot more energy into it than I meant to.

The orc didn't even get the chance to look shocked.

Where it once stood was now a macabre pile of blood and bones. And disgustingly enough, his feet remained where they were. Only they no longer had anything attached to them. It was the last thing I saw before I started to list sideways.

I was caught under my arms before my head could reach the floor. Each breath was a struggle like my chest was caught in a vice and I was swept up in a wave of vertigo. When I was hauled to my feet it took me a second to realise that I was not in fact upside down.

I was being dragged.

No pushed.

Someone's body was completely covering my back. Forcing my body to go somewhere.

The battle was a blur. Merging into streaks of black and red. Like a lurid painting.

I could hardly hear anything except for the ringing in my ears.

By the time I was forced back into the relative safety of the front gate the world was mostly back into focus. And I could finally hear a frantic Kili.

"Breathe Leah. Just breathe" He said as he pushed me onto a rock.

I sat down heavily and did as he said.

In out. In out. In out.

It felt very strange to be able to catch my breath while war still waged on before us. The dwarves had managed to push the orcs back so there was now about 50 metres of space between the mountain and the orcs.

"I'm okay. I'm okay" I said.

I wiggled my fingers on my right hand with some effort. The muscles protested with the movement but I could still do it. Nothing was broken at least. But there was now a large hole in my armour, exposing my shoulder and some of my side. A part I couldn't afford to be unprotected.

"Where's Thorin? Where's Fili?" I blurted. My eyes searching for them amongst the crush of bodies. I caught sight of most of the company but I couldn't make them out.

Kili turned back to the battle. Searching frantically. "They were just over there. Where are they?!"

His eyes were then drawn to the ridge on his left. The cry that left him was so sudden that I flinched. "No! Mahal no!"

My eyes followed where he was looking and I felt my body freeze up. Standing on top of the ridge was an enormous pale orc. One of its arms was cut off at the elbow with a makeshift dagger protruding out of the stump. Even from here I could see the jubilant grin stretched across his face.

Azog stood proudly on top of the ridge and smiled down at the small group of dwarves racing up to meet him. Thorin, Fili and Dwalin stuck out the most from the group. As they began their climb Azog laughed, arms wide, and backed away. Down onto the other side and out of sight.

He wasn't on Raven Hill. I had warned them about Raven Hill. Even had Ada place soldiers up there. I had hoped that they would be able to Kill Azog when he tried to set up there. But obviously that hadn't happened. He must have seen the elves on Raven Hill and chosen a new direction.

Azog was luring Thorin beyond the ridge.

Into what was most assuredly a trap.

I hadn't planned for this. My heart felt like a hammer smashing its way out of my chest. Each beat felt like a signal for doom. I was so utterly helpless.

"They can't go to Azog, it's a trap." I said.

The control I was getting on my breathing went straight out the window. Raw panic painted every part of Kili. He looked like he was going to break. "They can't...I have to...I can't leave them."

Kili stumbled away from me a few steps. Back towards the fighting. Understanding cut through me like a blade.

"Kili no" I breathed. "No no no no"

He turned back to me. Tears in his eyes. His voice was strained and broken. "I have to" he sobbed "This is the reason I came back. To stop _this_. I have to save them. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't"

A sob tore its way through my throat. I understood him. Of course he would never be able to turn away. It was almost the same decision that I had made with Smaug. Risking my own life so that others might live. So that my family might live. This was just Kili's turn to do it.

That did not mean that my heart wasn't rebelling. That I didn't want to attach onto him with all I had until I drew blood. Refusing to ever let go. Anything to keep him with me.

He saw the acceptance in my eyes and he let out a shaky breath. I reached out towards him and he reached back. When his hand found mine I drew him in, as close as he could get. I crushed my lips to his. Not caring about the faint metallic tang on them. I poured everything into the kiss. All the love I felt for him. Our tears mixed together on our cheeks until I couldn't tell whose was whose.

The bond was taut and alive between us. As if it was trying desperately to keep us together.

But it was not to be. Kili pulled away and I had never felt his loss so keenly. "Stay here. It's safe inside the mountain. I love you."

I barely heard his 'I love you' before he turned and ran. Ran towards the danger. To his brother and uncle. Each step he took was like another part of me breaking. Each footfall was like a blow in its own making.

I can't stay here. Even with my breath coming in short, wet gasps and every muscle feeling battered and bruised. I couldn't just sit there as the battle fought on around me.

Kili could die. He could fall saving his family. And if he fell then so did I.

I wasn't going down without a fight. The bond felt like it was tugging me. Urging me to follow him. So I listened.

With faltering steps I forged on after the person I loved.

I didn't even have my sword anymore. It had fallen from my grasp and out of reach. The sword Mani had made for me was lost in a sea of blood. But I had a dagger. The one Legolas had told me to wear. I grabbed it from my boot, nearly stumbling as I did. It was a small blade but it was better than being defenseless.

Kili didn't turn back once he reached the ridge so he never saw me on his tail. He climbed with a purpose and swiftly made it over the top. I made it to the bottom just as he disappeared over to the other side.

My hands bit into the sharp rocks along the face of the ridge. All of my muscles strained as I pulled myself up. Jaw set with determination I tried to push away the pain. I only stopped once I reached the top.

My eyes widened and I gasped at what I saw. One of the colossal statues of a dwarf had shattered into nothing. Its dessicated carcass created a maze of stone before me.

How the _fuck_ am I supposed to find them in that?

The sight was almost enough to send me sobbing. The sheer futility of the situation trying to get the better of me. But I couldn't stop now. Not now I had come all this way. A yell of pain from somewhere in front of me, only cemented that idea further.

I slid down the last part of the ridge. Pushing off at the bottom and using the momentum to hit the ground at a run. I ran straight into the ruins. Straight through the stone maze. I bounced off the walls with how quickly I was rounding them. With the tall boulders all around me the surrounding battle seemed to cease to exist.

There were only these rocks and me.

I strained my ears to catch anything. Anything at all that could give me a direction to run in.

A pained guttural yell had me spinning around. It came from somewhere to my right between the cracks of two sharp boulders. My body ran towards the sound without a second thought. I pushed myself through the crag. Sharp stones tried to prevent me. It dug into my armour and left deep marks. But I gritted my teeth and pushed through.

I balked at the sight I found.

The stones spilled out into a larger open space. Bilbo was slumped against the ground. His head was bleeding profusely and he was unconscious. It was clear he had been struck around the head. But, thankfully, he still appeared to be breathing deeply.

The sight that caused me the most horror was of a dwarf lying in a fast growing puddle of his own blood.

Thorin lay across the ground. His body spasming and heaving with stuttered breaths. He was wide eyed and awake. Almost delirious with pain. Orcrist lay just out of his reach.

And above him stood a heinous monster. Azog's smile had never been wider as he stared down at Thorin. He had forgone his mace to use the wicked dagger attached to his arm. Deep, red blood dripped off the end of it.

He laughed a deep and bone grating laugh before his arm pulled back for the killing blow.

I was already moving. Forcing my limbs to move faster. Pushing them more than I had ever pushed them.

"NO!" I screamed with everything I had.

Azog's eyes only narrowed as I launched myself between him and Thorin.

I didn't feel it at first.

Felt nothing as Azog's bladed hand tore through the hole in my armour.

It slipped through my armour and into the side of my shoulder.

Tearing through the flesh as if it was nothing.

The force of the blow brought me crashing to the ground.

I didn't feel it.

Until then I did.

It was burning.

And mangling.

Ripping

Tugging.

The pain signals in my brain were going haywire. Like violent lightning. It rendered my body useless and I couldn't move.

I heard someone screaming and it took a few moments before I realised that it was me. The sound of it was almost alien.

Azog drew back, taking the blade with him. My body rebelled against the pain and I couldn't stop shaking. I brought my hand up to the ragged wound. Blood flowed out of it at an alarming pace. It pooled in my armour and ran down my arms. My skin was freezing but the blood was almost inhumanly hot against it.

Azog smirked down at me triumphantly. "You think you can save him little elfing?" His voice was a thick rasp. The words were barely discernible between the roar in my ears and the thickness of his accent."When you can't even save yourself."

All I could do was choke down a sob.

"I think I'll take my time with you but I have some unfinished business to take care of first." Azog turned to where Thorin had been lying only moments earlier.

Only to find an empty patch of ground. His eyes widened and he was visibly shocked. Thorin must have moved while Azog was distracted by me.

Azog didn't even get the chance to turn around before Orcrist appeared in the centre of his chest. Clean through from Azog's undefended back.

He looked down at the blade in wonder. His hand reached up, catching black blood as it poured from his wound. The sword was withdrawn and Azog sunk to his knees. His body fell forwards into the puddle of blood Thorin had just vacated. The black mingling with the red.

In his wake stood Thorin, Orcrist hanging heavy by his side. The front of his armour was soaked a deep red. He looked over at me but I don't think he was truly seeing me.

Orcrist fell from his grasp, clattering against the solid ground. Thorin's body was not far behind. His knees gave out and he fell backwards.

"Thorin!" I cried.

The world was blurry. Whether from the tears or from the pain I didn't know.

With my good arm I dragged myself over to him. Each movement caused a cry to rip its way out of my throat but I urged myself on. Until I was right next to him. His eyes finally locked onto mine and he gave me a sad smile.

"You..shouldn't...have done that...Leah" Thorin said through deep shuddery breaths.

"Thorin you can't die," I sobbed "Everything. All of this was so that you could live. I was supposed to save you."

I heard vague shuffling from behind me. The sound of a Hobbit rousing from unconsciousness. I ignored it in favour of the dying dwarf in front of me.

"You can only do so much, Leah." Thorin reached up a hand to cup my face. "You saved my nephew. That's all I can ask for."

His hand then moved to the courting braid on the side of my head. He inspected the bead for a moment and he smiled again. "It will be the greatest honor to call you my kin."

His eyes grew distant and his breathing shallowed. I let out another sob when his hand dropped heavily to the ground.

No no no no.

I could not watch the dwarf I had grown to care so much about die in front of me.

Not again.

My hands moved to cover the wound on Thorin's stomach. I had to lean heavily as the pain from my shoulder deepened with the movement. It had never been so difficult to call upon that power inside me. I'd used so much of it today there was not a lot left to give.

But I grit my teeth anyway. So hard I nearly pulled a muscle in my jaw. I ripped that power out of my core with everything I had.

Light seeped from between my fingertips. It wasn't the bright white it had been before. It was soft and pale. A stark comparison to the blinding light I knew I was capable of. But still, I persevered. Pouring that magic into Thorin wound.

Thorin gasped deeply as my magic burrowed further down. The feel of the wound was almost overwhelming. For a second I didn't know where my magic ended and Thorin began. The more I used the more the world drifted away. Until it was so dark I could barely see.

There were shouts.

It could have been my name. But they sounded so distant, so far away.

The blood slowed to a trickle and the wound was closing up.

Too slowly.

My consciousness gave out all too soon. My grip on this world slipped away and I collapsed onto the dwarf I was giving everything to save.

**There is one more chapter after this guys. I'm not just gonna leave it there XD**


	42. But where's my love

**I was originally going to only do one more chapter but I thought it was a little cruel to make you wait after that bombshell. So I'm uploading this shortened version instead. The rest will be uploaded when I finish writing it lol**

**Kili**

Kili had been in battles before. He was a dwarf, it came with the territory. There was always some danger that lay beyond their mountain home. Whether they were human bandits or a pack of wolves. Kili was no stranger to a fight that's for sure.

But this battle was something else.

It was like all the training that had been ingrained into him had fled out the window. There was no reasoning with these creatures. Most of them barely listened to their commanders. They charged and spun. Stabbed and crushed. Whenever and wherever they felt like. It made them unpredictable. It made them dangerous.

Dwalin had always said that he had to know his enemy. Anticipate their next moves. But when the enemy themselves didn't know what they were going to do next, Kili couldn't plan ahead. He just had to act and react. And hope that it would be enough.

Normally during a battle Kili would calm his mind. It helped him to stay focused and to not lose his head. If he concentrated too hard on his movements he would stumble. If he thought too hard about his situation he would panic. He couldn't afford to do either. One slip could mean disaster.

But he was struggling.

The calm he usually tried to descend to was getting further and further from his reach. He would look into the eyes of an orc and see his own death reflected back at him. The ghost of a phantom arrow protruded from his chest. He'd already lost against these creatures once. Had almost paid the ultimate price. The doubt niggled at the back of his mind as he swung his sword.

If they had got him once who was to say they wouldn't do so again.

And it wasn't just him on the line.

The past year had been gearing up for this moment. It would make or break him. He had thrown himself into extra training. Pushed himself further. All so he would be enough when the time came. Enough to save his Uncle. Enough to save his brother. If he failed now it would have all been for nothing.

If he lost them he didn't think he would ever be able to stop falling.

And it wasn't just Thorin and Fili either.

There was Leah too.

His One. His Amrâlimê.

She charged with him. Right into that warzone. It was the last place he ever wanted to see her. His chest nearly seized with the panic of seeing her out there. She shouldn't be here. She should be somewhere safe, somewhere protected. But he knew he would have never been able to convince her. They were in this together or not at all. That's what they had said and they were both sticking by that.

When they got separated, he tried with all his might to get back to her. The orcs just kept coming. Like a never ending tide. Dispatch one and another would take its place. The torrent just kept coming.

There were many moments when he lost sight of her. The terror caused him to miss a swing and the orcs would push him back even further.

When he caught his name on the breeze he nearly allowed himself a quick moment of relief. It was shattered quickly when he saw the look on Leah's face. The frantic fear that he never ever wished to see on her face again. She slammed into him with a surprising force. It sent him careening to the side almost into another dwarf.

He felt rather than saw the impact. It was like a sickening jolt that went through his own body. He spun to see Leah crashing to her knees. A cry on her lips. The mace had destroyed part of her armour. It lay crumpled and useless.

He screamed her name but he didn't think she heard him. His sword was already in his hand and he aimed to strike. But he need not have.

He managed to crush his eyelids closed just at the right moment. The power that burst out of her was like an immense wave. He could feel the heat of it from where he stood. It wasn't just one orc she had destroyed either. There had been at least three in that vicinity.

Blood and putrid flesh rained down. For a second Kili was frozen, staring at the patch of ground. He wasn't the only one to take notice and several people backed away. Including the orcs.

Kili was broken from his reverie when Leah began to fall. Her head nearly smashed against the hard ground but Kili managed to catch her in time. Her eyes were unfocused and unseeing. She was almost completely limp in his arms. She wouldn't last another second like this.

He dragged her to her feet. Almost like a ragdoll. Now was not the time to be gentle with her. It took several moments for Leah to get her feet under her but Kili was already moving.

Pushing and Shoving. Almost clawing his way back towards the mountain. Back towards safety.

She at least seemed mostly coherent by the time he sat her down on a rock. The whole while he just kept telling her to breathe. When she finally replied to him he let himself loose the breath he was holding.

His relief lasted all of a second when he caught sight of Azog standing proudly on top of the ridge. He froze. All his muscles contracted to the point of pain. When his eyes were drawn to the figures of Thorin and Fili making their way up the hill, his knees nearly gave out. It felt like his blood was replaced with ice and he couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.

He couldn't leave them.

Leah knew this too. Her acquiescence to him leaving was almost painful. The bond between them seemed to pull tighter as if it was refusing to let them part.

But he did it. Despite how much it hurt him. He left Leah in one of the safest places he could think of. It was one of the only reasons he had managed to convince himself to leave her. As long as she was safe.

Kili ran.

He pushed his legs until they burned and then pushed some more.

He hardly felt the stone beneath him as he hauled himself up. Even as the sharp edges dug painfully into his palms. To the point that some of them drew blood. But his mind was elsewhere. His pain didn't matter as long as he found his family.

As long as they lived.

When he first caught sight of that stone labyrinth his heart sank. But for a brief second he thought that he saw something glint in the left of him. It could have been his eyes playing tricks on him but it also could have been his family.

He didn't let himself deliberate and charged straight for it. In some places the stone boulders created immovable barriers. He had to circle back or climb over them. But he didn't stop moving. Eventually he was rewarded by the sound of his brother's voice. In that moment it was like a beacon of hope.

That was until he came across Fili battling a huge Gundabad orc.

Alone.

The shouts of others fighting rang through the air. Thorin, Fili and Dwalin. They had all been separated.

The orc sliced down at Fili's legs. Fili tried to jump out of the way but was hindered by the stone wall. It cleaved against his side of his leg and Fili crippled under it. There was nowhere to back up and the orc had him cornered.

Kili charged in. The only thought on his mind was that he had to save his brother.

The orc had not been expecting anyone else. But it half turned towards Kili as he swung his sword. The blade sliced a thick grove across the orcs side. But it didn't do as much damage as it would have done if it had left its back undefended.

The orc stumbled back and yelled something in black speech. It was enough time for Fili to clamber to his feet and retrieve his dual swords.

The orc was no match for the two of them. Now that Kili had caught it by surprise it was on its back foot. Defending rather than attacking. He must have cut something that hindered its ability to swing a sword because the creature couldn't put as much power into them anymore.

Fili and Kili fought together as if they were one person. This was how they had always trained. Using the skills of one another to take down an enemy. When Kili swung high Fili would swing low. Until they caught their enemy.

It was Kili's blade that sliced through the bastards throat. Followed by a swift sword to the stomach from Fili. They both kicked it away from them like the worthless thing it was.

"Fili, I'm so glad you're okay" there were already tears in Kili's eyes.

Was this it? Had he done enough?

"I admit that it was a bit closer than I had wanted but I don't think the tears are necessary brother." Fili laughed goodnaturedly.

Kili ignored his brother jibe and crushed him into a hug. He dared not allow himself to hope. Lest his brother be ripped from him. But he couldn't help the spark that ignited deep within him.

"Where's Thorin?" Kili asked suddenly. Reality caught up with him, they weren't out of the woods yet.

"He went right and I went left so he should be…"

Fili was cut off by the worst sound Kili had ever heard. A heart wrenching scream filled with unimaginable pain rang through the air. It echoed and reverberated back off the stones. Kili felt all the air rush out of him and he couldn't breathe. He knew that voice. Even in the depths of despair he knew that voice.

Leah.

She had followed him and now…

"No No No NO!" Kili was already moving.

She was hurt. Oh Mahal where was she? What if she was bleeding out?

He crashed into the rocks with how fast he was running. But he didn't feel them. He screamed for her. Begged for her to answer him.

He spilled out into a large opening and felt his legs give out. Thorin was lying across the ground, a puddle of blood pooling under him. Leah lay on top of him, a jagged bloody wound in her shoulder. A weakened light was pooling out of her hands. She was trying to save Thorin but he could see that she was giving too much. Her eyes were rolling in her head and she was no longer reacting to things around her.

A very distraught Bilbo was trying to get to his feet. Blood trickled down the side of his head but all of his concentration went on getting over to Thorin and Leah.

"Leah, stop!" Kili yelled.

He tried to get up and realised that he couldn't. The world spun around him and his body could no longer keep him up. Energy was leaching out of him with every second. The most he could do was try to drag himself towards them.

Kili had to stop her.

He knew what was happening. Something similar had happened when Leah had fallen from that tower. He had almost collapsed when she did. At the time he thought that it was just from his fear. But later on he realised it was because she was injured. They were linked together. Both of their life forces were tied with a rope. If one was to fall then so would the other.

And Leah was falling.

She was giving too much to save Thorin and she was going to lose herself in the process.

The power she poured into Thorin the more he couldn't breathe. The world darkened at the edges.

It was Fili that ran over to her. His arms wrapped around Leah from behind, pulling her hands away. As soon as her hands were no longer making contact within Thorin she slumped forward. Completely unconscious.

Kili tried to take some deep breaths and found he could breathe a little easier. The world swam back into focus. He managed to haul himself up. Enough to drag himself towards them.

Fili lay Leah down gently. Being careful to avoid her bad shoulder. She was paler than she had ever seen her. More like a ghost than anything. Even her lips had turned blue. Kili sobbed at the sight. With great effort he hooked under her body and brought her into his lap. Her body didn't so much as flinch. Her pulse fluttered next to his. But it was weak like the beating of a butterfly's wing.

Kil's hand was in her hair and he brought his lips to her forehead. "It's okay. You'll be okay. You'll be okay" he repeated like a mantra.

Dwalin appeared at some point but Kili could not recall the exact moment. One second he wasn't there and the next he was. He crashed down next to Thorin's side.

"No. Thorin. _Please_"

Kili didn't think he had ever seen the dwarf so vulnerable. So hurt. His voice sounded so broken as he called to his fallen friend.

"Thorin. Thorin, can you hear me?" Bilbo had also found his way over to Thorin's side. He was holding onto Thorin's hand with bloodless fingers.

"Yes.." Thorin coughed. It was a deep and wet sound. His body spasmed as he did it.

He turned towards Leah and something in him broke. "No… No. What did she do?"

"She tried to heal you, Thorin." said Bilbo.

Bilbo looked down at the wound in Thorin's stomach. It was only half closed and blood still trickled out. Only at a more sedate pace.

"I don't think it was enough." Bilbo cried, shaking his head. "If we don't get him somewhere soon he's going to die."

"No! Ye can't say that." Dwalin bellowed.

No.

No. He couldn't die. Not Thorin. Not after they came this far.

But time was against them. How could they ever traverse this maze and bring him to safety? He would surely perish before they ever made it out.

"What was that?" said Bilbo. He stood up and looked towards the sky.

Kili couldn't bring himself to care. His uncle was dying and there was nothing they could do. Leah lay limp in his arms and he didn't think he had ever felt so helpless.

The spark of hope from earlier was now burning him instead. Searing him from the inside. Punishing him for daring to hope that he would be enough. He could barely breathe around it. Each heaving breath blistered with pain. He couldn't even begin to control the torrent of tears flowing from his eyes.

Not enough.

He was not enough.

"It's the Eagles!" Bilbo exclaimed. "The Eagles are here."

The pure hope in Bilbo's voice had Kili's head shooting up. He could barely comprehend what he saw. High above them were huge forms in the sky. They cast shadows upon them as they floated. It took a moment for Kili to realise that they were the same Eagles that had saved them before.

He was already shouting for help before his brain caught up with what he was saying.

If the Eagles were here then they had a chance.

For one heartbreaking beat he thought that they could not hear him. That they were too high above and that they would be too late.

Until one of them swooped down. It banked in a circle around them before landing in the last remaining empty space. It looked upon them all with a noble air. Definitely a creature you should never insult.

Now a dwarf never begged. It was a great source of pride. But Kili cast his pride aside. He stumbled to his feet. Legs nearly buckling as he held on tightly to Leah. He wobbled over to the Eagle and bowed his head.

"Please!" He pleaded. "_Please_ help them. They need a healer."

The Eagle tilted his head. The bird's eyes seemed to stare directly into Kili's soul. Weighing and assessing.

"Bring me your injured Master Dwarf." The Eagle said. "I will bring them to safety."

Kili nearly sagged to the ground.

Leah was laid across the birds back and Kili lay next to her to keep her from falling. Thorin was grabbed between the Eagles mighty talons. Something that he was not very pleased about at all. Last time this had happened he had been out cold. Now he was vaguely lucid and hating the entire experience.

Kili just hoped that If Thorin was complaining it meant that he would be okay.

Having a birds eye view only seemed to highlight the destruction. The battlefield stretched on for miles. So many lying dead or injured. The only solace for Kili was that the battle was clearly drawing to an end. The orcs were no match for an aerial attack from the Eagles. Dain's army was rallying together and pushing them all back. Thranduil's elves had trapped the retreating orcs. With both soldiers from above and on the ground.

They had won.

They had won but he still wouldn't allow himself to breathe. Not when the lives of the people he loved still hung in the balance.

The Eagle began to circle down. Close to the edge of Dale's border. Where Kili could make out a line of large tents. They were makeshift healing quarters if he was remembering correctly.

The place was nearly overrun. With a near constant flow of people in and out of it. The elves, with the gift of healing, were nearly run off their feet.

The eagle placed Thorin down as gently as it could. He had fallen unconscious on the journey and barely made a sound as he made contact with the ground. Immediately, people were running over. Dwarves that recognised their king cried in dismay. Even though they carried their own injuries they cried out for their King. Several of them volunteered to carry him inside. Quite a few even refused treatment so that Thorin could be seen to first. Thorin was off the ground and into a bed before Kili even touched down.

He was gentle with Leah as he helped her off the back of the Eagle. The great bird helped him to slide off by tilting its wing down.

Kili was bone tired. There was a faint tremor in his limbs but he held fast. He clung to Leah's body and refused to drop her. No matter how tired he was she was safe in his arms.

"Thank you!" He had never said a more heartfelt thank you before. "Without you he would have died."

"You are most welcome Master Dwarf" The Eagle bowed his head.

"What can I call you? When they speak of this day they will want to know the name of the Eagle that saved their King." Kili said.

"You may call me Lythor." The Eagle said "I carried this young elleth once before."

Lythor must have been one of the Eagles that flew them all away from the misty mountains. He couldn't thank this Eagle enough.

When Lythor took off into the air the people around could do nothing but stare. Kili started towards the healing tents. The healers were so focused on Thorin's arrival that none of them had seen Kili climb down from the back of Lythor.

"Help! Please!" Kili cried. "It's the princess!"

He knew that would get them to listen. So many heads turned towards him. He was all but swarmed. They took her from his arms and began to lead her away. At first he protested. Not willing to let her go. Before he realised that she was better in their hands. It was still indescribably painful to hand her over.

A space was cleared for her very quickly. At least 3 elves began to work on her. Their first port of call was to remove her armour. Only then did Kili see the true extent of her injury. It made his stomach seize.

Azog's blade had not been smooth. It was jagged and rusted. The wound was not clean. The skin was torn, broken and irregular. Her wound was still leaking blood and the surrounding area was painted with purple-black bruises.

The healers worked tirelessly until the injury was sealed up. Her lips were no longer blue but she was still deathly pale. It reached a point where they said that they could do no more for her. They just had to wait and see if she woke up.

Kili sat beside her cot and held her hand in both of his. He held it to his lips. Every moment that she didn't wake up Kili wanted to scream louder. But he kept it all bottled up.

They had managed to get Thorin to the healers just in time. Any longer and he would have succumbed to his wounds. The healers informed him that he was stable and that he could see him if he wanted to.

He did. He truly did.

But the fear of leaving Leah's side stopped him. An illogical part of him felt that if he left her side then something awful would happen. He couldn't bear to part from her.

Thorin was swarmed by people anyway. Kili would probably not get a word in edgeways. Thrain stood resolute by his son's side. Refusing to leave, just as Kili was doing with Leah.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

Thranduil stormed into the tent with a purpose. His eyes were wild and searching. Ellen was not far behind. The only other time Kili had seen her so fearful was the last time Leah had been brought back unconscious.

When they caught sight of Kili and Leah they visibly sagged. Thranduil shot forward at an almost frightening speed. He fell to his knees before his daughter. Tears spilling from his eyes. He reached up to cradle her head in his hands. Leaning his forehead down onto hers

"Tithien ven," he whispered.

"She's okay. She's okay" he kept repeating. Another mantra.

Ellen came around to Kili's side. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and brought him into her embrace. "Oh Kili. I'm so glad you're okay too" She held onto him while Thranduil held onto Leah.

Kili let out a stuttery breath. After what must have been hours of his head being a chaotic storm, the hug had the effect of grounding him.

"They're all alive Kili. Including you." Ellen whispered to him. Her tone was deeply maternal. "You did it. You did it."

He had done it.

The battle was over and his family were alive.

He felt a sob bubble up once more as his emotions got the better of him. But instead of being embarrassed he just let himself be held.

**There should be one chapter left now guys. I promise this time.**


	43. I'm always at your shoulder

I don't know why writing this chapter was like pulling teeth

**Leah**

The world was darkness.

For the longest time I felt like I was just floating. Awareness was a long distant memory. I could have been in that inky blackness for years or for hours.

There were brief moments when I felt myself drift closer to the surface. Closer to reality. Where the dark curtain would part and a small stream of light would pour through. However, whenever I would get closer to consciousness my body would feel infinitely heavier. Like the awareness of my body became its own lead weight.

Most of the time I could manage only one blink before exhaustion pulled me back under.

There was no pain at least.

Just a jumble of chaotic thoughts and sensations. My mind was not awake enough to comprehend anything that was happening to me. Only flashes of colour or the sound of a sweet voice.

Time was a lost concept.

Everything was muted in the depths of unconsciousness. Thought, sound, feeling. With nothing to hold onto, it would have been so easy just to slip away.

Every so often my dark world would glow a deep golden. It pulled at my mind. My soul.

It centred me and anchored me.

Drew me closer.

It felt warm. It felt like home. A far cry from the cold darkness I was currently experiencing. The flashes were only brief but I endeavoured to follow them. It was purely instinctual as no cognitive thoughts could break through the thick fog that was my mind.

Awareness creeped in slowly. So much slower than all the other times I had fallen unconscious.

First it was sound. A strange jumble of sounds that I could not distinguish at first. But then my ears were drawn to a melodic sound. Sometimes it was sweet and other times it had a soft gruffness to it. No words were discernible but my half-conscious mind clung to them.

After a little while I began to be able to pick out some of the words. It was a song of some kind.

The heaviness in my limbs abated at a snail's pace. But eventually I could feel where my body was. As far as I could tell, all of my body parts were accounted for.

Most of me lay across something soft and warm. It took a little while to realise that one of my hands was a lot warmer than the other though.

"Come on Leah." the words sounded distant at first but became sharper as the voice continued. "Please, please wake up."

My lungs drew in a sharp breath as my mind recognised the voice.

Kili.

Someone next to me stirred at the change of my breathing. The warm pressure around one of my hands increased. I realised then that someone must have been holding it.

"Leah! Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes? _Please_." His voice broke on the last word and I felt something break in me.

The last tethers-trying to force me back into unconsciousness-were snapped as I heard the hurt in Kili's voice. I needed to get to him.

It took several long moments before I could find the muscles to make my eyelids move. They twitched sluggishly as I tried to force them open. I managed a few blinks before I had to scrunch them closed again. After so long in that darkness, the bright light from my surroundings almost burned. I groaned against the sensation.

"Wait, wait, don't worry.." My hand was suddenly let go and I lamented against the lost contact.

My fingers stretched trying to find Kili. I heard the sound of shuffling, ruffling of fabric and a faint blow of air. The light that permeated my closed eyes was greatly lessened and I relaxed slightly. Then, blissfully, the hand returned to mine and squeezed reassuringly.

When I blinked again it did not hurt as much and I found I could keep them open. At first, all I could discern was a swirl of colour. It took a few blinks before the world refocused and repainted itself around me. The first thing I was drawn to was the sight of a very relieved Kili. There were unshed tears forming in his eyes but a wide smile was spread across his face.

"Leah." He reached a hand towards me and cupped my face gently.

I leaned into the warmth, the corners of my mouth ticked upwards.

"Kili" I said, the words barely above a whisper as I tried to get my mouth to work.

"Are you really awake this time?" He asked, with unrestrained hope in his voice.

This time? Had I woken up before? I had no memories of that.

"I think so."

I attempted to move my body. Stretching my finger, my toes. Then I tried to sit up. The movements were lethargic. A deep-seated ache in my muscles had me clenching my teeth. It took a lot to move them, especially my right arm.

"Stop, stop. You're going to hurt yourself." said Kili, shooting to his feet. "You need to take it slow."

Kili reached behind me and helped to prop me up on several pillows. That way I was vaguely in a sitting up position. It at least gave me a better view of the room I was in.

It was definitely a tent of some kind. With its white canvas walls and heavy fabric in place of a door. Only this was one of the fancier ones. It was fully kitted out with rather expensive furniture. There were cushioned seats and an oakwood table. The floor was covered by a thick rug of some kind. And I also appeared to be laying on a real bed. Not one of the cots I'd been used to recently.

Where did all of this come from? I remember Ada had brought a few things with him but a lot of that was burned by Smaug.

Something nagged at the back of my mind. There was definitely something that I was supposed to be remembering. Something very pressing and urgent. But my mind was still catching up with itself and was not co-operating well.

Why was I here in the first place?

When I tried to discern that, all I could garner were quick fleeting images. The flash of a sword, a monster charging. Red, so much red. My head twinged trying to sort through it all. I brought my hand up to try and dull the pain.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you need anything? Water?"

That's when I realised that my mouth was incredibly dry. It would also be something I could hold onto.

"Water, please."

Kili poured me a cup from a pitcher someone had left on the table. He handed it to me but made sure that my hands were secure before he moved away. I brought it up to my mouth and sipped it. It was cold and was doing wonders for the awful taste that was clinging to my tongue. I knew I shouldn't just down it all but it was quite a struggle not to.

"Leah, do you remember what happened?" Kili asked. His tone was incredibly gentle as if he thought I was very fragile.

What happened?

My mind conjured images of its own accord.

A line of orcs.

A clash of swords.

Stone ruins towering above me.

Red.

So much red.

There was so much blood.

My breathing and heart rate picked up rapidly as my mind finally caught up with itself. Oh my god the battle!

"Thorin!...is he?...I tried to" I was very quickly on my way to hyperventilating.

The fight with Azog flooded my mind.

Azog looming over Thorin.

Me jumping in between the two of them.

The sickening pain of his knife as it cut through my shoulder.

The sound of Thorin collapsing onto the ground.

He was bleeding so badly. He was going to die.

There was so much blood. I tried to heal him. I was giving everything but there was so much blood.

The cup had slipped out of my hands and I could feel the water soaking into my blanket. I was too far gone to care.

Kili was instantly next to me. He bundled me up into his arms, cradling my head to his chest. His pulse was strong and steady compared to mine. I clung to the sleeve of his shirt with a fierce grip.

"Shh shh. Breathe, Leah. Just breathe." His hand rubbed soothing circles onto my back.

I tried to calm my breathing but they came out as sort of half sobs. Did Thorin make it? I didn't think I would be able to cope if he was gone. He couldn't be gone. We couldn't have failed.

Kili pulled back so that I could see his face. His eyes were wide but there was also a brightness in them. "Thorin is alive."

"He's alive?" The words were a strangled sob.

He nodded. A tear of his own slipped down his cheek.

" Fili?" There was a new burgeoning hope in my voice.

"And Fili" Kili breathed.

It felt like the wind was knocked out of me. I was breathless and weightless. My limbs were still heavy and sluggish but I don't think I had ever felt lighter. Like a huge, crushing weight, that I never even noticed before, had disappeared.

The pressure. It was the weight of all their lives-those sons of Durin-that I had thrust upon my own shoulders. I'd piled so much responsibility on myself. To keep them safe. To keep them alive.

Only once the pressure was gone did I realise how much it was weighing me down. That constant fear that the worst could happen. That we would get this far and we would still lose them. It wouldn't be enough. _I_ wouldn't be enough.

But we did it.

They're _alive. _Oh my god they're alive!

I would have collapsed if I wasn't already sitting. My whole body sagged against Kili and he tightened his grip around me. I could have been sobbing or I could have been laughing. It was probably somewhere between the two.

Every emotion I had felt on this journey-be it fear, anger, relief or happiness-I poured all of them out of me. Right onto Kili's shirt.

"We did it. We did it"

I don't think tears had ever felt so good.

oOo

It took a little while for me to calm down. And longer still before I relinquished my death grip on Kili. But he convinced me to let him go find my family.

Apparently I had been unconscious for four days. _Four_ whole days!

Kili explained how he had found me with Thorin. He tried to hide it but I could still see a real pain in his he described how I was trying to heal him but was using too much energy. He said that if Fili had not stopped me then he felt like I would have faded. When I asked how he had known he became visibly nervous. Looking away and fidgeting with his hands. When he explained about how my actions affected him I nearly started crying again.

In a bid to save one person I had nearly killed another. Including myself.

I had been so close to dying and I hadn't even known.

Kili tried to calm me down by saying that they had gotten there in time. Fili had pulled me away at just the right moment. But my mind refused to stop dwelling on the what-if's.

"Thorin would have died without you, Leah." Kili grabbed my chin so that I would look at him. "You healed him enough so that he could be brought to safety."

Hearing that did help a little.

Kili told me about the Eagles. About how Lythor had helped me once again. They brought me to the healing tents where the healers worked tirelessly on me. The wound in my shoulder was apparently a mess. I'm glad I hadn't been aware enough to see just how mangled it was.

Now there was only a scar. A band of white skin that went from my collarbone to the top of my breast. Another one for the collection. My body was tiger striped at this point. A criss cross of long jagged scars. It was hard not to feel self conscious about it. When Kili saw the look on my face he told me to knock it off.

A lot of things happened while I was out. The battle ground was cleared and all of the Orcs were burned. I am very glad I was not awake for that. I don't need that smell haunting my dreams forever.

All the injured were brought to Dale to be treated. The elves worked around the clock to heal them all. Plenty of dwarves and men also volunteered their own services. They may not have had magic but there was still a lot they could do. Any medical training was welcomed. It was a herculean effort between all three races. Most of the injured made it with only a few of them succumbing to their wounds.

There were still a lot of funerals to be had though. So many people had laid down their lives in this battle. To fight and protect. I did not want to know the number of how many were lost.

Many of the Elves returned to Mirkwood to get more supplies. That was where a lot of my tents' furniture had been from. Ada wanted me to be comfortable. They had debated whether or not they should have brought me back to the Elven halls. But they decided that it was best not to move me.

Kili told me that people had been taking shifts next to my bedside in case I woke up. They didn't want me to wake up alone. That was also where the singing had come from. Mum had been singing next to me because that was what roused me last time. She had roped Kili into it a few times.

I was almost bowled over when Legolas came bombing into my room. He wrapped me in his arms and lifted me into the air. Only to be chastised by pretty much everyone. They thought I was too delicate right now for such rough housing. I knew I could take it though.

It was so good to see all my family. They had had their own tough trials throughout the battle but thankfully they did not look worse for wear.

Mum and Ada both gave me crushing hugs. They told me that they were proud of me. But Ada decided to tag "But if you ever do anything so life-threatening again I'm going to lock you away and throw away the key" onto the end of it.

Obviously I knew he didn't mean it literally and that it came from a place of love. So I just shook my head and smiled at him.

I got many dwarf visitors as well. A very happy Dain showed up at one point. He proceeded to still call me himrûna. As well as saying that I was "One crazy bastard" for the stunts I'd pulled. Apparently I was one of the only Elves that was okay in his books. Even if I was that pointy eared prick's daughter. Anyone that would save their King is a person worth having a drink with.

He even offered to have a burping competition with me. Though I doubted I would do very well in it, I would probably give it a good go.

He was eventually shuffled away because he was 'disturbing the peace too much'. Which even he couldn't argue with. I doubt peaceful was a setting Dain was capable of.

Thrain was another visitor. I was so glad to see that he had made it. Even as old as he was he still put up a good fight. I shouldn't have underestimated him before. In my defence though the guy had only just escaped from literal hell. My worry was justified.

He came to thank me once more for saving his son. He made a joke about how he wasn't sure he would ever stop thanking me. First him, then his nephews and now his son. Apparently I was accumulating quite a few debts to be repaid. Though I don't know how or when I'd ever cash those in.

I'd probably use them to get an extra slice of cake or something.

Nearly the whole company tried to squish their way into my tent once they knew I was awake. All of them wanted their own hugs and I was happy to oblige. Fili in particular had to almost pry me off him. I was just so ecstatic to see him alive and well that my emotions took over. He was appreciative of the hug nonetheless.

It was a day later before they actually let me leave my tent. There was still one person I had not seen. Thorin was in a tent of his own. Still healing from his fight with Azog. His wounds were completely healed now but his body was still weakened. He was just starting to get his feet back under him. It would take at least a week or two before he was back to himself again.

Kili led the way for me. When I went into his tent he was sitting on the edge of his bed. His teeth were gritted as he used his stomach muscles to sit. I knew that feeling. Even though my shoulder was healed the muscles around it were still tender. It hurt if I moved them too much. I could only imagine how much it must hurt with a stomach wound.

He was surrounded by many dwarves. Which had apparently been a near constant thing. The joys of being King I guess, you'll never be left on your own.

Thorin's eyes shot to mine. Then he turned to the people in the room. "You can leave us."

There were a few protests from the dwarves. Fretting about the state of Thorin's health. He looked about ready to roll his eyes at the whole affair.

"I'll be fine for 5 minutes" he grumbled.

The dwarves reluctantly filed out of the tent. As soon as they left, Thorin made to stand. His jaw tightened as he did so but he managed it.

He was alive.

I know that everyone had already told me that he was alive but it was hard to really believe it. Not when the only image my brain would conjure was Thorin's dying breath. Until I replaced that image with one of him alive it refused to budge.

But here he was. Injured but alive.

What I felt when I finally saw him was beyond words. "It's good to see you, Thorin" I said, the words were a little shaky but I was keeping a lid on my emotions.

"Oh Leah" he said before stepping forwards and enveloping me in a hug. "I can't believe what you did."

He pulled back so that I could see him "Taking a blade for me. Healing me. It was incredible and courageous and so so idiotic. It nearly cost you your life. I am not worth that price"

"Oh don't be stupid. Of course you're worth it, Thorin." I urged "I think of you as family now too and I would do anything for my family."

Thorin smiled at that despite himself. "I cannot begin to understand the powers that brought you here Leah. But I owe them so much because I can honestly say that I am better for having met you."

The lid on my emotions had now well and truly failed. "I'm better for knowing you too."

My life had changed so much over the past year. I had been a Human in a completely different world. The only people I really had in my life were my Mum and my best friend. I'd lost one of them and it would always hurt to know that I would never be able to see Anika again. Yet I had also gained more family than I knew what to do with.

The quest and the battle were over now. We had the whole future ahead of us. I didn't want to jinx it but I think that future looked bright.

I can't believe we've come to the end!  
For better or for worse this has been near enough a year of hard work. I'm quite proud.

I know this chapter is not great but I thought I'd post it so that it was finally finished.  
Some of you may have noticed that I have edited a few of the early chapters. I'm going back and tidying them all up. There will probably be a few additions as I edit them but it shouldn't change the story. I'll probably end up writing a more poignant ending at some point. When my creativity comes back from quarantine.

I will be doing a sequel that will mostly be one shots about Leah's new life


End file.
